---

Catawba Valley Community College is benefitting from grants recently bestowed by Duke Energy.

Over the past year, the CVCC Foundation, Inc. was honored to receive multiple grants from Duke Energy. These funds were pivotal in assisting the college with new projects, new degree programs and the continuation of several initiatives making a difference in the lives of CVCC students.

Thanks to Duke Energy, the following programs and organizations received support: $50,000 to the CVCC Sustainability Technologies degree program at CVCC’s Alexander Center, the latest associate degree added to the college curriculum; $2,000 to Redhawk Publications, an in-house publishing group; $9,500 to the CVCC Skills USA chapter; $2,500 to support CVCC engineering and robotics students with their Lake Norman submersible project; and funds to support the Juvenile Community Re-start program, which launched last year.

Robin Nicholson, Duke Energy’s district manager, said the company was happy to help.

“The community colleges in North Carolina provide the much needed, in-demand training for success,” said Nicholson. “Our support of many of the programs at Catawba Valley Community College underpins our understanding of these needs and helps provide the essential groundwork for these various programs. Duke Energy is proud to support CVCC and our region’s community colleges.”

Brice Melton, CVCC’s vice president of teaching and learning, believes that the financial commitment from Duke Energy is instrumental in the support of programs crucial to the student experience.

“Duke Energy’s generosity has affected students across the college,” said Melton, adding that these funds “allow the college to purchase new equipment to help train students in the sustainability technology program. Duke Energy also supports CVCC students in state and national Skills USA competitions, where our students can showcase the skills they have acquired during the course of their studies at CVCC.”

Catawba Valley Community College anticipates continued growth of its programs and academic offerings throughout the rest of the semester, according to Jennifer Jones, the director and chief development officer of the CVCC Foundation.

“Duke Energy is an invaluable partner in providing opportunities for CVCC students to gain skills that help them attain their educational and career goals and that meet local business and industry talent needs,” said Jones. “The CVCC Foundation is honored by Duke Energy’s choice to faithfully and generously invest in the lives of CVCC students, programs and projects through gifts to the foundation.”

For more information about the CVCC Foundation, Inc. or to make a donation, e-mail Jones at [email protected].

---

---