Federal and local officials are set to gather next week for a groundbreaking on a new health care education center in Mt. Airy.
U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, and U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes will join leaders from Howard, Carroll and Frederick community colleges Monday, July 25 for a ceremonial groundbreaking on the new Mount Airy College Center for Health Care Education at 1712 Bank Acre Circle.
The center builds on an existing academic agreement between the colleges to enhance student access to workforce education program. The colleges will lease 15,750 square-feet of the 24,000 square-foot facility to use as shared classrooms and laboratories.
"Offering programs in one facility will allow our three community college to better leverage funds, create more coordination between schools and provide a superior education for students," said HCC President Kate Hetherington in a news release. "The facility will not only contribute to economic development in Mt. Airy, but will serve as a national model to show how colleges and heath care providers can work together to increase educational opportunities."
The center is expected to open in the fall of 2012. The project, funded by federal grants and community college appropriations, will cost about $4 million.