West Massachusetts News

On May 2, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined Elms College President Harry E. Dumay to announce a $1,000,000 earmark to expand the education and social work programs at Elms College.

 

The allocation was made possible through Congressionally Direct Spending (CDS) from the Department of Education. Congressman Neal included funding for this project in the Fiscal Year 2023 spending bill that was signed into law on December 29, 2022.

 

“Western Massachusetts has a diverse socioeconomic landscape, and with that families who face a diverse set of challenges. Our region is fortunate to have some of the most capable educators and social workers who are willing and able to meet the needs of our children and their families, and institutions like Elms College are ensuring we continue to have the skilled workforce ready to answer the call for help,” said Congressman Neal. “Elms College has a rich history of educating a diverse student body, ensuring they are equipped with the tools to effect real change in their community. Congress has the fundamental responsibility to oversee the expenditure of the public purse, and I strongly believe that this investment will greatly benefit our region for years to come.”

 

“We are extremely grateful for Congressman Neal’s continued support of Elms College and higher education throughout the region. Congressman Neal's support for higher education as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee was instrumental in helping many institutions across the nation weather the storm of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Elms College President, Harry E. Dumay, Ph.D., MBA. “The $1 million in funding will be used to bolster our education and social work programs, while also providing scholarships for students in these disciplines.”

 

With this funding, Elms College will address community workforce development by expanding their education and social work programs. This expansion will include investments in the Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE) at Elms College, which was created to bolster educator talent and diversity through innovative programs that target existing and aspiring educators. Funding will also be used to invest in the college’s Master’s in Social Work program in an effort to address the shortage of social workers in the Greater Springfield community.

 

Under guidelines issued by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, members of Congress requested CDS funding for projects in their state for Fiscal Year 2023. CDS requests were restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments, and eligible non-profit entities, were permitted to receive CDS funding.

 

This project is one of fifteen CDS projects submitted by Congressman Neal, totaling over $20 million in investments throughout the First Congressional District of Massachusetts. 

Original source can be found here.