During a Facebook Live event on Tuesday, September 29, 2020, Southern Arkansas University Tech announced that the College is the recipient of a US Department of Labor and Delta Regional Authority Grant-Workforce Opportunities in Rural Communities (WORC). The grant announcement came after the official press release earlier that day from the US Department of Labor.

SAU Tech’s project, Expanding the Healthcare Workforce in South Arkansas, includes developing two new programs (sonography and medical assistant) and the consistent delivery of nursing assistant classes. These programs add to the line-up of SAU Tech’s current nursing programs that include practical nursing, registered nursing, public health, phlebotomy, sports science, and pharmacy tech. The project provides $940,569 to hire instructors, purchase equipment, provide student support, and more.

And the work has started as the official start date for the project is September 30, 2020. The Vice Chancellor for Academics and Planning provides oversight for the project with the Dean of Allied Health, Shelley Young, filling the role of the project director. The College plans to release information for prospective students interested in the sonography and other programs once the program accreditation is complete.

A video of the announcement is available for viewing on SAU Tech’s Facebook page.