$245,000 Perkins Grant Provides More Resources for SUNY Canton Students

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Areiba T. Edwards of Brooklyn pulls a reserve textbooks for a student at SUNY Canton’s Southworth Library Learning Commons.

CANTON, NY (09/26/2012)(readMedia)-- The most recent Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Grant will assist with SUNY Canton's textbook loan program and fund a host of other initiatives to benefit students.

"Perkins Grant funding allows students who cannot pay for high-cost books to borrow them instead," said Jennifer Whittaker, SUNY Canton assistant librarian. "If they have access to textbooks, they can prepare for class, which leads to higher retention rates and increased academic success."

The textbook loan program has been ongoing for almost a decade. Students also have access to learning models specific to their curricula, and other resources at the Southworth Library Learning Commons.

The total grant awarded was approximately $245,000. The money is also being used to purchase equipment in many SUNY Canton laboratories and classrooms, including:

New equipment and models for the veterinary science program;

  • Additional manikins for the nursing program;
  • New tools for the Snap-on diagnostic center in the automotive technology program;
  • Refrigerant equipment for the air conditioning engineering technology program;
  • Database and web applications for the computer information systems program;
  • Additional equipment for the electronics and communications lab;
  • Early childhood student teaching center resources, among others.

Grants Coordinator JoAnne Fassinger helped the College apply for the Perkins grant. Fassinger won the 2012 Excellence in College Service Award for helping her peers file for competitive funding.

The grant is awarded from the U.S. Government to states, which is then allocated to various schools and colleges within New York based on the programs offered and the number of students in career and technical curricula.

SUNY Canton offers a variety of career-driven bachelor's degrees in addition to its associate and certificate programs. In the past year, the College added two new bachelor's degrees and expanded its facilities with a new athletic center, nicknamed Roos House, and the Grasse River Suites Residence Hall. The College's faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to their academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers flexible and convenient online courses and programs. The College's 14 athletic teams compete as provisional members of the NCAA Division III as well as the USCAA.

-www.canton.edu-