Denver, CO—The Boettcher Foundation has granted $100,000 to the Red Rocks Community College Foundation. The grant will go toward the expansion of the Health Sciences Campus in Arvada.
“We are impressed with Red Rocks Community College’s Health Sciences program, and we are honored to help support its expansion,” said Tim Schultz, president and executive director of the Boettcher Foundation. “This expansion will further enable Red Rocks Community College to serve both its students and the economic needs of our community.”
A key component of the Health Sciences Campus expansion will include new state of the art instructional spaces within a brand new 50,000 square foot classroom building. This innovative teaching and learning space will help train health care professionals to work effectively in health care teams. To complement the expanded enrollment of the Health Sciences Campus, the existing building will be undergoing extensive renovations that will give students full access to Red Rocks’ student success services.
“We thank the Boettcher Foundation for this generous grant,” stated RRCC President, Dr. Michele Haney. “These funds will go toward the expansion of the RRCC Health Sciences Campus creating a state of the art training campus that will increase the number of highly qualified health care professionals available for the growing needs in the Denver Metro Area.”
The Arvada Health Sciences Campus will expand access to high-demand degree and certificate programs while adding much needed programs and transfer opportunities. This effort will transform RRCC Arvada into a full-service campus that will accelerate the number of graduates in health occupations such as Physician Assistant, Medical Assistant, Nurse Aide, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography. The RRCC Health Sciences Campus will also train Patient Navigators, which is an essential career for meeting the growing needs of our community. Transfer pathways are in development for those seeking careers in Nursing, Public Health and Social Work.
“The Arvada Health Sciences Campus expansion is a $22.5 million dollar capital campaign” stated RRCC Foundation Executive Director Ron Slinger. “This is by far the most aggressive and exciting campaign we have ever undertaken. The Boettcher Foundation’s wonderful grant brings our total amount raised to $19.865 million. We are so very thankful for the strong community support and especially to our other major investors: The State of Colorado, Red Rocks Community College, Community First Foundation and the City of Arvada.”
The ground breaking for the new academic building is currently scheduled for July, 2015. The plans call for the new Health Sciences Campus to be open and fully operational in time for the 2016 Fall Semester.
About the Boettcher Foundation: Founded by the Boettcher Family in 1937 to effectively assist, encourage and promote a better quality of life for the citizens of Colorado, the Boettcher Foundation invests in Colorado through “minds and mortar.” The Foundation funds Scholarships, biomedical research and teacher training, as well as capital grants for nonprofits. For more information, visit BoettcherFoundation.org.
The Red Rocks Community College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to supporting the students, faculty, and staff at the college in their pursuit of excellence. The Foundation was established in 1993 with the vision of helping students of all income levels have access to higher education. Since its inception, the Foundation has given more than $4 million dollars in scholarships to RRCC students and $3.7 million for other RRCC programs. The Foundation also provides mini-grants to faculty and staff, awards for outstanding faculty, and support for other worthwhile initiatives.
About Red Rocks Community College: Established in 1969, Red Rocks Community College delivers high-quality, affordable education programs leading to two-year degrees or professional certificates. The college serves over 14,000 students per year online and at two campus locations in Lakewood and Arvada. www.rrcc.edu.