Cowley's Career and Technical Education Department receives grants

Through the hard work of Sandy Randel, Cowley College’s Coordinator for the Career and Technical Education Department, the department received a grant for $420,000 and has been warded four grants over the past year totaling nearly $600,000.

“Sandy was directly involved in writing the grants and following through on them,” said Bruce Crouse, Department Chair of the Career and Technical Education Department. “I really appreciate her perseverance in locating these grant opportunities. She’s done excellent work through the process.”

Randel’s efforts helped Cowley secure the $420,000 grant awarded from the state technology funds through the Kansas Technical Authority to be used for Non-Destructive Testing and programs. This grant, which is the largest ever received in the Career and Technical Education Department, was offered to support high-tech, leading edge programs around the state of Kansas. The bulk of the grant will be used so Cowley’s Non-Destructive Testing program can purchase new equipment, including a Digital Radiography System, which is used to look at components in real time without having to process and look at film.

“This is a very expensive piece of equipment that we would not have been able to obtain through our regular cash flow channels,” Crouse said. “This grant will provide us with state of the art equipment that is currently used in business and industry.”

The remainder of the grant will be used to purchase equipment for the Mechatronics program.

Within the past few months Cowley was also awarded $40,000 from the Innovative Technology Funds, from the Kansas Board Of Regents, to support equipment purchases and other costs associated with its Mechatronics program, which is located in Winfield.

“There has been a need for funding for the larger more costly pieces of equipment in the Career and Technical Education Department, especially in the new programs,” Crouse said.

A $6,500 non-traditional gender funds grant was awarded to Cowley for use in its Career and Technical Education programs. Randel will be responsible for directing and implementing this grant.

Part of the grant will be used to hold workshops and conduct a summer camp for non-traditional students, so they can view the programs Cowley’s Career and Technical Education Department has to offer.

The final grant for $125,000 through KDOC was awarded last spring.

“This grant helped get the Mechatronics program on its feet,” Crouse said.

The grant money received by Cowley will benefit not only the school, but also the students and local business and industry as well.

“This will provide our students access to state of the art equipment used in business and industry before entering the workforce,” Crouse said.

For more information on the programs offered through Cowley’s Career and Technical Education Department, contact Sandy Randel at 620-441-5262.

Spring 2008