Education

Assuring that our students have the education and training needed for employment in the 21^st Century is key to improving the quality of life of the citizens of our region.  During his service in Congress, Rick has worked to bring federal funding directly to our school systems, community colleges and four-year institutions of higher learning in order to institute programs specifically designed to meet the needs of our students.  Below is a partial list of some of Rick's recent accomplishments:

Federal Funding Supports Virginia Tech's Coal Research Program - At Rick's request, the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a federal grant in the amount of $12 million to the Center for Advanced Separation Technologies (CAST) at Virginia Tech.  The grant will enable CAST to continue work in developing clean coal technologies which will facilitate the use of otherwise wasted fine coal particles with major potential benefits for the coal industry.

University of Appalachia School of Pharmacy Opens in Grundy - Using $550,000 from a Congressional appropriation, part of the Buchanan County Technology Park has been transformed into an advanced educational and training facility for the new School of Pharmacy.  It is Rick's hope that the University of Appalachia will expand to include new institutions, such as a college of dentistry or a college of optometry, and further stimulate economic progress in the Town of Grundy and Buchanan County.

Federal Funding Announced to Expand Nursing Programs -

Rick has secured a federal grant in the amount of $90,256 for the expansion of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at UVA-Wise.  New educational equipment and software will be purchased to enable new course offerings. Another large federal grant in the amount of $218,076 has been awarded to the Appalachian Tri-College Nursing Program to enable alternative nursing course schedules during evenings and weekends.  The expanded course schedules will allow nursing students increased flexibility in determining their course loads.

Congressional Funding Secured for the Dabney Lancaster Packaging Center - Congress has approved Rick's request for $150,000 in funding for the new packaging program sponsored by Dabney Lancaster Community College in Alleghany County.  The federal funding will be used to purchase the remaining training equipment necessary for the Packaging Center laboratory.  The Virginia Packaging Application Center expects to begin evening classes in the fall of 2006 with day and evening classes to follow in the fall of 2007.

Computer Learning Site Opens at Old Chilhowie High School Community Center - Using a federal grant which Rick helped to secure from the Appalachian Regional Commission in the amount of $43,579, a new federally funded computer lab and public Internet access site has been established at the Old Chilhowie High School Community Center.  The center has 19 computer workstations and remaining funds are being used to purchase the equipment necessary to establish a distance learning center.