Trustees Approve New Career Certificate, NSF Grant

Board of Trustees General Meeting, March 10

Parkland College plans to launch a new Mental Health Certificate career program and use a new National Science Foundation grant to boost its nationally ranked Precision Agriculture program.

At its regular meeting Wednesday, the Board of Trustees received President Tom Ramage's report that the College has received its fifth NSF grant for the "Expanding Precision Agriculture Education and Certification to Secondary Students" project.

EPASS will build on the success of two prior NSF projects in Precision Agriculture and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in developing pathways for secondary students to earn college credentials while gaining hands-on industry experience. The $581,377 grant project will start July 1, 2021 and continue through June 30, 2024.

After voting to approve application of funds, the board approved the new Mental Health Certificate program, a two-course, industry-recognized certificate that will train entry-level mental health and social service workers.

Upon completing the five-credit-hour certificate, students will acquire the skills necessary to enter full- or part-time mental health support professional roles. These skills include therapeutic communication and de-escalation techniques; identification of signs and symptoms of mental illness, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities; and certification in mental health first aid, among others. Parkland's Social Science and Human Services department will offer the program.

In other business, trustees approved:

• the purchase of:

  • digital marketing services from Clarus Corporation, $190,000

  • consulting services from McKenzie-Wagner, $130,000

  • renewal of Zoom Software, $33,000

  • services and courses from ProTrain, $70,000

  • safety training services of Grey & Associates, $30,000

  • services and courses of Black Rocket Productions, $25,000

  • training services from Rock Gate Capital, DBA 160 Driving Academy, $40,000

• the bid from Intelligent Video Solutions for software and audiovisual equipment, $38,252

• personnel appointments:

  • Jared Ping, Interim Director of Public Safety, Public Safety

  • Amanda Gilbert-Mohler, Bookstore Specialist, Bookstore

  • Myriah Benner-Coogan, Advising Program Manager, Counseling and Advising