FRCC receives $1 million for manufacturing training

This past year, Front Range Community College expanded its Center for Integrated Manufacturing and added new programs to fill the need for skilled labor in machining, manufacturing, and automation. In addition to this expansion, FRCC also added a bachelor's degree program for nursing and continues to be a leader in training our state's residents in these vital industries.

Colorado philanthropists Suzanne and David Hoover pledged a donation of $1 million, to be dispersed over the next five years. This financial contribution is the largest, single direct donation that the Front Range Community College Foundation has ever received, save bequests from estates.

David Hoover spent his entire career working for Ball Corporation and the couple understands the importance of well-trained, skilled employees in technical and scientific industries. The Hoovers acknowledged, "FRCC students need this type of specialized equipment for hands-on training so they can be ready for jobs in advanced manufacturing."

Out of this million-dollar gift, the Hoovers specified that $500,000 will go to purchase manufacturing training equipment for the new Center for Integrated Manufacturing at the Longmont campus. These machines will be employed in the recently and aptly named Hoover Family Automation and Engineering Technology Lab.

FRCC has earmarked the additional $500,000 for scholarships gifted via the recently established Hoover Family Endowment. FRCC president Andy Dorsey elaborated on the importance that donations have on the school's overall impact, "Partners like David and Suzanne Hoover play a critical role in supporting our work. They provide a lifeline for our students who want to build a better life."

FRCC set out to raise $2 million for the Center for Integrated Manufacturing and, with this recent gift, is even closer to meeting this number. Suzanne Hoover knows how much of a positive impact scholarships can have in helping students attain a better quality of life. "I've been working with FRCC for quite a long time, and have gotten to know the school and its students. I've been able to hear their stories and see firsthand the impact scholarships have. For students who wouldn't have access to this type of education otherwise, it really makes a difference. FRCC fills a niche that's different from four-year schools-one that's very much needed."