Contact:  Melissa Reifert
October 20, 2006

MECC Gets Verizon Foundation Support for ‘Fast Track Program’

Workforce development is on the fast track in southwest Virginia, with a $10,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation to the Mountain Empire Community College Foundation.  The grant from the Verizon Foundation – the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications – will help MECC with development of its Fast Track Program, an intensive, accelerated program of computer programming courses designed to prepare individuals for employment with information technology (IT) companies, such as CGI-AMS, that are locating in the region.  CGI-AMS is an IT and business services company that recently located in Lebanon. 

Eligible students who already have an associate or bachelor’s degree can complete the 42-credit hour Fast Track Program over a period of 34 weeks.  The grant from the Verizon Foundation will assist with the purchase of equipment and faculty training materials for the program.

“The availability of jobs at CGI-AMS is a unique opportunity for southwest Virginia, and Verizon’s gift will help local residents gain IT skills required to successfully compete for these jobs,” says Terrance E. Suarez, MECC President. 

“Verizon has a substantial presence in southwest Virginia, from our extensive fiber-optic telecommunications network to our experienced work force,” states Jim Griffith, Verizon area manager for southwest Virginia.  “This grant will strengthen the region by enabling men and women to better prepare for the coming information technology jobs.”

Verizon delivers technology that touches life. The Verizon Foundation uses that technology and its financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education; help families victimized by domestic violence; and improve the delivery of health care. In 2005, the foundation awarded more than $74 million in grants to charitable and nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad.

The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, which is one of the largest employee volunteer programs in the United States and responsible for 2 million hours of community service since 2000 and $35.6 million in combined contributions to nonprofits in 2005 alone.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

Representatives from the Verizon Foundation presented Mountain Empire Community College with a $10,000 grant to help with development of the college’s Fast Track Program, an intensive, accelerated program of computer programming courses designed to prepare individuals for employment with information technology companies that are locating in the region.

 (Left to right) Donna Stanley, MECC Vice-President for Institutional Advancement; Jeff Merriman, Verizon Economic Development and Government Affairs Manager; Jim Griffith, Verizon Area Manager for Southwest Virginia; and Terrance Suarez, MECC President

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