<<go back
March 17, 2008

Calhoun Receives $198,000 Grant For Robotics Program

Calhoun Community College today received notification of a grant award of $198,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for its “Integration of Industrial Robotics and Simulation into Technologies Curricula” program. 

Specifically, the funding will be used to purchase robotics and simulation equipment that will integrate industrial robotics and simulation into Calhoun’s existing technologies curriculum to meet regional workforce needs for highly skilled employees in the field of robotics. According to the grant proposal submitted for the award, the equipment to be purchased will complement existing robotics courses at Calhoun and will provide training to students to make them more competitive in the job market.

The ARC grant award marks the third robotics-related award to Calhoun in the last year.  In February of this year, the Huntsville Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Pathfinder Chapter presented a gift of $17,000 to Calhoun to support a scholarship for a student pursuing a career in the field of robotics, to purchase robotics equipment and to start a robotics club at the college.  Last summer,  U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, announced that the House Appropriations Committee approved $150,000 toward the establishment of  a robotics center at Calhoun. The funding is in the Fiscal Year 2008 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill.  Cramer said the center would serve as a national and international model providing hands-on instruction on robotics for various sectors, including health care to automotive.

Implementation of the ARC-funded project will begin immediately and is scheduled for completion in May 2009.  Mike Blizzard, division chair for technologies and machine tool technology instructor at Calhoun, will serve as Project Director for the program.

The Appalachian Regional Commission is a federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.

Janet Kincherlow-Martin
Director of Public Relations
(256) 306-2561

Back to Menu