FOR EDUCATION—Accepting Bank of America’s grant check are, from left, Debi Klein (Moorpark College’s director of institutional advancement and community relations), Dr. Julius Sokenu (Moorpark College president), Edmund Garcia (Computer Network Systems Engineering professor) and Jill Haney (Moorpark College Foundation chair). Courtesy photo
The Bank of America named Moorpark College Foundation as a 2024 Neighborhood Champion for its ongoing efforts to remove barriers to employment and re-skill the local workforce.
Commemorating its fifth year, the B of A Neighborhood Champions program provides annual grant funding to worthy nonprofits in nearly 40 communities nationwide.
As a Neighborhood Champion, Moorpark College Foundation receives a $50,000 grant over two years, leadership training resources for the organization’s executive director, access to technical coaching, and a national network of nonprofit peers for support.
“This year we celebrate five years of strengthening Ventura and Santa Barbara area nonprofits that deliver solutions to local challenges through the Neighborhood Champions program,” said Midge Campbell-Thomas, president, Bank of America Ventura/Santa Barbara.
“Providing high-impact nonprofits like Moorpark College with flexible funding and leadership training helps them address critical needs and create meaningful lasting change.
The Central Coast region has experienced a surging demand for tech-related jobs over the last two decades with about 13,000 tech roles added, one study shows.
In keeping up with demand, Moorpark College says it will apply its Neighborhood Champion grant toward its Computer Network Systems Engineering and Cybersecurity certificate program for students, while building pathways to high-skill, high-wage and in-demand careers for students to help fill job vacancies in the local tech industry.
“Moorpark College and the Moorpark College Foundation are honored by Bank of America’s recognition of the role programs like our CNSE play in preparing students for high-skill, high-wage in-demand careers,” Moorpark College President Julius Sokenu said. “This grant will change lives, strengthening the economy of Ventura County by producing the technicians needed to support the cybersecurity sector.”
Sokenu added, “This grant removes financial barriers and empowers students to pursue professional certification essential to demonstrating their skills and increasing their confidence.”
The invitation-only program is highly competitive, with awardees selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past awardees.
Since 2019, Bank of America has invested over $9 million in more than 200 nonprofits within greater than 40 communities through the Neighborhood Champions program.
— Acorn staff report
Source: simivalleyacorn.com
