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Wednesday, 16 August 2006 05:01 |
By DAVID FORBES
MARS HILL ÇƒÓ Mars Hill College received a $12.8 million loan last Wednesday from the federal government for construction of a new math and science center, presented by Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., Rep. Charles Taylor, R-Brevard, and other government officials.
"Iëm so proud to be on this wonderful, Christian campus and Iëm very excited about this wonderful science and math center that will be such a credit to the college," Dole said. "When many of our students reach the high school level, theyëve often fallen behind many of the other developed nations in math and science. Thatës something that has to be corrected."
The
funds, provided by the U.S. Department of Agricultureës Rural
Development program, will go to the construction of the Ferguson Math
and Science Center. The three-story center will house facilities,
classrooms and labs to serve approximately 400 students.
The center will help the area compete for jobs, Taylor noted.
"Weëre not going
to be able to compete with places like China on their hourly rates,"
Taylor said. "So weëre going to have to compete with new technology.
Weëre going to have to do that to compete globally ÇƒÓ and this center
will allow us to do that."
Furthermore, Dole asserted that with a decline in manufacturing jobs, technology education has become even more important.
"Many of our traditional industries have begun to shutter their doors,
whether its furniture, textiles or the tobacco industry ÇƒÓ weëre going
through a real transition," she said. "The Department of Labor
estimates that 85 percent of new jobs over the next decade are going to
require post-secondary education. Thatës our future and thatës where
weëre headed. But I look forward to working with you to face them."
The 1,350-student college could apply for the loan partially because of
its religious affiliation, as the college is associated with the North
Carolina Baptist Convention, John Cooper, the USDA rural development
state director said in earlier remarks.
"This is very important for us because President Bush believes so
strongly in being faith-based ÇƒÓ and believes in previous years that
faith-based organizations and faith-based groups were not treated
properly," Cooper asserted. "He put out a mandate that we would do
everything we could for faith-based groups throughout the country ÇƒÓ and
weëve done that in North Carolina. This is a faith-based college here."
The college was also awarded the loan due to its presence in a rural area and its importance to the region, Cooper said.
"We believe in coming to these areas to show that we care about the
home areas and that weëre doing the right thing for rural communities,"
Cooper noted. "This will help prepare the young people here for the
global competitive work force ÇƒÓ and that will improve their quality of
life. Weëre pulling together here for the good of our young people, the
good of our community and the good of America."
The loan is permanently set at 4.08 percent interest and will be paid back over the next 40 years.
The presentation, which was attended by 60 people, including faculty
and students, in Blackwell Hall, also featured remarks by Dr. Dan
Lunsford, president of MHC, who hailed the event as "a momentous and
very special day in the life of this college.
"We are here today to recognize the partnership of Mars Hill College,
Madison County and the United States government," Lunsford said. "This
will provide opportunities to train young people in math and science
and prepare for the future."
The center will also bring the region one as a whole one step further
towards being a hub for scientific development, Taylor asserted.
"In the area of engineering and science, a university influences about
an 150-mile radius," he said. "We have some fine schools in Raleigh and
Durham, but we canët get the benefit all the way out here in Western
North Carolina. Thatës why weëre working to build up science and
engineering schools here."
Echoing Taylorës remarks, Cooper also noted other possible beneficial effects the center could have.
"Rural development guarantees business loans," he said. "It allows us
to build fire stations, police stations, get medical clinics, town
halls, housing. Any of those that we can help Madison County with ÇƒÓ let
us know."
Senat Richard Burr also worked to help award MHC the loan, but is
currently visiting China. Joe Bannock, his representative, said that
Burr supports the center and also believes it will help the area
"compete in the global economy."
Later, Taylor also mentioned that Madison Country will also be one of
the first rural areas in the country to have broadband Internet access.
"Weëre working on that right now ÇƒÓ and weëve just about got it done,"
he said. "Once that comes in, it will be available for businesses as
well as the college here."
Furthermore, Cooper said that he is looking into providing further aid
to Madison County, including a possible fire truck with a ladder.
"This is going to be a three-story building and thereës an auditorium
going up too ÇƒÓ and the chief of the fire department told us he didnët
have a ladder truck," Cooper said. "Now that Iëve got the senator and
the congressman here, weëre going to go to work on that."
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