AHOSKIE – From wetland restoration to green roof technology, this year’s Dominion educational grants will engage students of all ages in a variety of outstanding energy- and environmental-focused science, math and technology programs. Schools and educational institutions in 11 states will share grants totaling $1 million from the Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources.

One of those schools is Roanoke-Chowan Community College (R-CCC), which has received a $25,000 Dominion Higher Education Partnership grant to implement a new mechatronics program at the college.

Program Coordinator Franklin K. Horne shared his excitement in receiving the $25,000 grant.

“This is an exciting time for my program and this college. This grant will help start up the mechatronics program and introduce the world of robotics to our students,” Horne said.

The grant process was extremely competitive with 400 applications considered. The grants went through two rounds of judging to determine the 30 college and post-secondary schools to receive up to $50,000 each to fund projects in energy, environmental studies, engineering and workforce development.

“This year’s grants will support a variety of innovative programs encouraging young people to learn the essential skills needed to tackle real-world issues,” said Hunter A. Applewhite, president of the Dominion Foundation. “They will help students gain knowledge and experience with technologies that are leading the way to a greener energy future.”

Pam Pekrun, Dominion North Carolina Power External Affairs manager, presented the $25,000 check to Horne and Dr. Jimmy T. Tate, president of Roanoke-Chowan Community.

Horne stated, “This is a proud moment for Roanoke-Chowan Community College. We are proud of the work that was put into applying for this grant and we are grateful to Dominion for selecting us as a recipient. This funding will help us provide access to state-of-the-art technology in our new mechatronics program.”