The Columbia State Community College Foundation recently received grant funding from the Tennessee Community CARES Program that will be used to support a variety of the college’s COVID-19 relief efforts.
 
The Tennessee Community CARES Program is funded by the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which has a goal of providing funding to non-profits to allow them to respond to the impacts of COVID-19. The United Way of Greater Nashville serves as the administrator for the Columbia State Community College Foundation grant.
 
The funding will provide relief for disadvantaged and underrepresented Columbia State students, as well as provide support for the college’s COVID-19 relief efforts. In addition, the funding will provide assistance with non-credit course fees through the college’s Office of Workforce and Continuing Education.
 
Columbia State CARES Free Online Courses
 
Free online courses will be offered in a variety of areas including business, computer applications, computer science, construction and trades, health and fitness, hospitality, information technology, language, legal, math and science, and teacher professional development.
 
“The Office of Workforce and Continuing Education is very excited about the great opportunities we can offer to the citizens of our service areas provided by the Tennessee Community Cares ACT Grant,” said Dr. Dearl Lampley, Columbia State vice president for Williamson Campus and external services. “In the current COVID environment of work from home, we are offering free online courses designed to enhance an employee’s current skill set or develop entirely new talents to add to their resume. We have teamed with an independent, national company with over 500 courses in their catalog to offer a vast array of disciplines. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this as soon as possible as available grant funding ends Nov. 6, 2020.”
 
Those who are interested in registering for one or more of the free courses should visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/CaresFreeOnlineCourses.
 
When registering for courses, select the pay later option. Using the pay later option will not hold learners responsible for any course fee. Columbia State will approve and pay for registrations as long as funding is available through the November 6 deadline.