SCF Funds Amazing Variety of Faculty Staff Grants

From Chicken Tractors to 3D printers to sending students to national competitions, the Sheridan College Foundation funds an amazing variety of Faculty Staff Grants every year, and this year was no exception. These grants provide funding assistance for projects that fall outside Sheridan College’s budget, and are made possible by unrestricted gifts to the Foundation.

The Chicken Tractor project was applied for by one of our Ag instructors to purchase mobile chicken coops to house chickens for egg production. Having these coops would enhance students’ learning about animal husbandry and sustainability, as well as soil health benefits and insect control within the learning farm lab that the chickens will provide. This project also supports our community’s interest in farm-to-table opportunities.

The Construction Tech program has been building a commercial construction technology learning lab over the last few years with new tools and equipment funded by Faculty Staff Grants. This lab allows students and community members to be trained on the latest equipment for woodworking and construction, giving them a leg-up in the job market with their advanced skills.

The Sheridan College Kooi Library was awarded a grant this spring to update its collection of books. This allowed the library to remove and replace outdated material, allowing the library to properly support the academics at Sheridan College while also making them available to the community through the Wyoming Library Database (WYLD).

The purchase of a 3D printer this spring was an extremely important addition to the Computer Aided Drafting program as it allowed the students to develop and make PPE for the College and our community during a time of need. The unique opportunity for the students to help with this project gave them a real life experience where they could improvise, solve problems and see tangible results, all while fulfilling a pressing need in the community.

In addition to meeting equipment needs, Faculty Staff Grants also support faculty/staff development and have helped fund study abroad and regional and national competition opportunities for students like SkillsUSA, where Sheridan College students have won numerous awards.

Faculty Staff Grants make a big difference in the education of our students, and are a part of our mission of “Advancing student success through partnerships with the community and Sheridan College.”  We are blessed to have a great faculty and staff to help us enhance our students’ educational experience at Sheridan College, and generous donors who help make that happen!