2023-2024 Grants and sponsored projects S琀爀愀琀egic In椀琀i愀琀ives RCC collaborates with myfuturenc DEGREE ATTAINMENT GOAL of all jobs in NC will demand a “With gas being near $5.00 a gallon, it’s postsecondary credential, revealing hard for some in our community,” Tito “We want every student to walk away signi昀椀cant disparities within Massol with HealthKeeperz stated. “吀栀e with some kind of credential so they historically marginalized communities. size of our county is a challenge and can earn a sustainable wage,” stated Postsecondary means anything earned transportation is a big hurdle for those RCC President Melissa Singler during once you leave high school and includes who have to commute a long way to get a recent brainstorming session with everything from commercial driver’s to RCC or UNCP… adding sidewalks myFutureNC. “吀栀at’s our goal as a licenses and OSHA certi昀椀cations to where our citizens could walk or ride college, that’s our goal as a county, and diplomas, degrees, and certi昀椀cates. their bikes safely would also be a great that’s our goal across North Carolina.” 吀栀e meeting at RCC included leaders addition.” 吀栀e Robeson County Education to from UNCP, the Public Schools of Collaboration continues to be a strong Workforce Council Commission met Robeson County, UNC Southeastern, point within Robeson County and has on Tuesday at Robeson Community the Lumbee Tribe, Robeson County proven to be an asset in meeting the College to discuss ways to implement Administration, Communities in local needs of the community. strategies to help North Carolina reach Schools, HealthKeeperz, Robeson its educational attainment goal, as County Church and Community “When Hurricane Florence hit, there passed by legislatures in House Bill 664, Center, myFutureNC, and Robeson was a huge collaboration e昀昀ort,” stated which states that “to ensure that the Community College. Kelly Blue, the Robeson County State remains economically competitive, manager. “Robeson Community the State shall ensure that by the year During the session, participants College opened the campus for 2030, 2 million 25- to 44-year olds discussed the unique challenges faced in the medical needs of those who will have completed a high-quality Robeson County and ways to overcome needed specialized care during the credential or postsecondary degree.” them, as well as the collaboration evacuations… these are the kinds of opportunities within the region. collaborations that are vital to meeting “We want to pull everyone in the county the needs of our county.” together to reach this goal,” stated Eric “We have a lot of socioeconomic Freeman, the executive vice president barriers,” Singler stated. “We have to “We are one of 17 counties in the of Robeson Community College. “We become more creative in our outreach State with a community college and a want to do everything we can to ensure and in overcoming the struggles many university,” Blue said. “吀栀at makes us we have a bright future in Robeson of our students face.” very unique and gives us an advantage County.” in becoming prepared to meet the Another group pointed out the existing new demands of the industry through It is estimated that as we reach transportation needs of the county. partnerships with RCC, UNCP, and the year 2030, approximately 67% PSRC.”