SCC To Build $374K Greenhouse
Agricultural education just got a whole lot greener at Southeastern Community College. The school was awarded $374,500 by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission (NCTTFC) to build a state-of-the-art greenhouse on the campus. The structure will make way for advancing horticulture, agriculture, and animal science careers in Columbus County.
It will provide hands-on job training for future students in the farming field, as well as facilitate community outreach and support. The greenhouse will be vital to classroom learning to promote economic growth in the county and surrounding areas in North Carolina, the college said in a press release.
Among other duties, the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission supports projects that assist counties with facility enhancements, as well as aid in college research and educational opportunities. They also offer assistance to commodity groups and farmers with marketing, operations improvements, and diversification of crops.
“The N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission is pleased to support the continued development of the SCC agriculture program with this greenhouse,” said NCTTFC chairman Bill Teague. “Our commission commends and encourages all students that are pursuing higher agriculture education.”
Dawn Hinshaw, SCC Agribusiness Technology Instructor, said agribusiness has become high tech in recent years, and the greenhouse will help the school keep up with modern farming techniques.
“The new greenhouse is going to be a sustainable tool that will help our county thrive as we prepare students for agriculture practices that have been changing throughout our state. While you may not see equipment like SCC’s greenhouse on all farms in our county, we know we must prepare our students and workforce for future opportunities,” stated Hinshaw.
SCC President Dr. Chris English thanked the Trust Fund for providing money for the project.
“We are grateful for the funding and the support made possible by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. This is another great example of two organizations partnering together for a common goal to open doors to opportunities,” he said.
Construction of the conservatory will begin in the spring of 2023.