December 19th, 2017 by WCBC Radio

Allegany College of Maryland, Hocking College and West Virginia University are recipients of a federal grant that will allow for a regional program in sustainable land reclamation management. The $497,000 Higher Education Challenge Grant will be shared by the three institutions to develop “two-plus-two” transfer patterns that prepare students for “green sciences” careers in central Appalachia. ACM and Hocking, a community college in southern Ohio, will develop certificate and associate degree programs in sustainable land reclamation management education that lead to a WVU bachelor’s degree and a new certificate in sustainable land reclamation management there. The goal is to create a generation of graduates prepared for sustainable land reclamation management careers in such industries as agriculture, forestry, mining and oil and gas production. The effort is well-suited to two-year college students interested in environmental sciences and natural resources careers and who plan to continue in a related multi-disciplinary education program at a four-year university.

 

Students in the first generation of their family to attend college and members of other under-represented groups are a particular focus of the HEC grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

 

NIFA’s purpose through its grants program is to enable colleges and universities to address educational needs and strengthen the nation’s scientific and professional workforce in the food and agricultural sectors.

 

The agreement with WVU will provide for seamless transfer by ACM and Hocking graduates for the latter half of their four-year program in Morgantown.

 

The goal is for each community college to transfer 10 to 15 green sciences students to WVU each year and for the university to graduate from 35 to 55 students with a certificate in sustainable land reclamation management annually.