Montco Community College Gets $443K In Coronavirus Funding

BLUE BELL, PA — Montgomery County Community College has received a major boost to help it handle educational needs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The college will receive $443,597 to help implement safety plans and execute online course in the face of the ongoing crisis. The funding comes from the federal CARES Act, which disbursed a total of $28 million to universities and colleges throughout the state.

“The pandemic has negatively impacted our economy and educational and career opportunities for many Pennsylvanians," State Rep. Liz Hanbidge (D-61) said in a statement.
Grants like these will help MCCC and other statewide institutions continue to educate students in a safe and effective manner."

Funding can be utilized for online classrooms, barriers and other protective equipment, health apps and other devices to assist in contact tracing, cleaning supplies, and more.

"This funding will help these institutions, whether they choose to continue to provide remote instruction, return to in-person instruction, or employ a hybrid approach to meet the instructional needs of their students," Gov. Wolf said in a statement.

Montgomery County Community College is moving mostly online for the fall semester, with specific, set meeting times, both asynchronous and synchronous instruction, and the use of platforms like Blackboard and Zoom. The college is still offering some "hybrid" courses which include in-person classes this fall, and the funding will be used in part for on-campus safety and health.

“Keeping these classrooms – even virtual ones – running safely and smoothly means so much to our overall recovery efforts and is a direct investment in our commonwealth's and our constituents' futures," Hanbidge added.

Institutions received funding based on the number of socio-economically disadvantaged students enrolled, as well as their total number of students.