Howard Community College Receives $1.2 Million in Donations Supporting Campaign for Skilled Trades
May 03 2024 - 2:01PM
Howard Community College President Daria J. Willis today announced
two major gifts totaling $1.2 million to support construction and
programming of the college's Workforce Development and Skilled
Trades Center (WDTC), a historic project that will break ground
this fall.
"This is a truly historic day for our campus community and
for Howard County," said Dr. Willis. "To have raised more than $42
million in less than six months through proposed funding from our
county government, preauthorized funding from the State of
Maryland, and from community members supporting us in equal fashion
is both gratifying and humbling. This community believes in
workforce development as an anti-poverty, anti-racism catalyst for
success among all residents. We could not be prouder to anchor this
county as the premier resource for teaching, learning, training,
and culture."
A Columbia-based family donated $1 million and Apple Ford
Lincoln of Columbia committed $200,000 to the WDTC. President of
Apple Ford Lincoln, Chip Doetsch, who serves as a member of the
WDTC Capital Campaign advisory council, says the gift will support
the building of the 50,000 square foot facility that will train
future professionals in welding, plumbing, HVAC, automotive trades,
and more.
"Howard County is a strong economy powered by great and
long-standing companies and led by people who truly care about this
community," said Doetsch. "The trajectory of this college and this
community are limitless, and we are proud to be a part of its
exceptional future."
The shortage of skilled workers in trades and technical fields
is a pressing challenge in today’s economy. According to college
leaders, the center will play a pivotal role in addressing this gap
by equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to
succeed in high-demand careers. Students from all backgrounds will
have opportunities closer to home to gain valuable skills, achieve
financial stability, and a pathway to success.
Maryland is an emerging national leader in green industrial
evolution. From automotive manufacturing to sustainable approaches
to construction, the state and its corporations will need a
workforce that is agile towards changing technology and
environmental laws. Howard Community College seeks to be the
leading industry partner in helping corporations set expectations
for hiring, retaining, and developing entry-level and managerial
talent in these areas.
The WDTC will be the second project to break ground in three
years at the college, following the 160,000 square foot Kahlert
Foundation Complex, which will open in January 2025. The complex is
a hybrid facility that will house HCC's mathematics department, and
its training and competition facilities for men's and women's
basketball. The complex is named for The Kahlert Foundation, which
donated $2 million to the college in 2022 - the largest gift in the
history of the college.
Howard Community College was recently named among the nation's
top two-year colleges by Niche, an online college selection and
data resource for families. HCC ranked #92 among all two-year
institutions and the top community college in the Baltimore
metropolitan area. HCC enrolls nearly 22,000 credit and non-credit
students of all ages from more than 104 countries and yields more
than $343 million in economic impact as one of Howard County's
largest employers.
- Howard Community College's Workforce Development and Skilled
Trades Center
Jarrett Carter
Howard Community College
443-518-1800
prmarketing@howardcc.edu