November 25, 2008
For Immediate Release

RCCC Receives Grant from Duke Energy
College will use grant to equip its NCRC building

          SALISBURY, N.C. — Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will receive a $250,000 grant from Duke Energy to help equip RCCC's cutting-edge biotechnology facility planned for the North Carolina Research Campus (NCRC).

          RCCC will use the Duke Energy grant to purchase equipment for an aseptic bioprocessing suite (laboratory and prep rooms) in its future NCRC building in Kannapolis. The aseptic bioprocessing suite (ABS) will allow RCCC to replicate the sophisticated biomanufacturing environments found in high-tech biotechnology industries that produce products ranging from pharmaceuticals to biomedical devices.

           Students working in the ABS will become proficient in clean room operations, the safe handling of products, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and state and federal safety requirements. The ABS also will provide a specialized training venue for companies and research organizations desiring proximity and access to the NCRC.

           "We thank Duke Energy for its generous grant and continued support," said Carol Spalding, Ed.D., RCCC president. "The aseptic bioprocessing suite will give RCCC the ability to replicate real-world conditions and give our students highly focused, hands-on training.

           "At the same time, this facility, with its adjacent observation area, will give our NCRC partners a superb recruitment tool to attract more businesses and individuals to the campus," Spalding said.

          RCCC's grant is part of more than $1.7 million Duke Energy is giving to five North Carolina community colleges through the Duke Energy Community College Grant Program.

           "We believe the North Carolina community College System is an essential partner in addressing the critical workforce needs in our region," said Ellen Ruff, president of Duke Energy Carolinas. "We're proud this grant program has brought dramatic benefits to employers, better paying jobs for workers, and enhanced economic development across our region."

           RCCC recently announced it has received final approval to offer two associate-degree programs in biotechnology. RCCC has designed both programs to prepare students for many of the technical and research positions being created by the NCRC. Both programs will open in August 2009 and take at least two years to complete.

           The AAS program in biotechnology will prepare students for jobs in biotechnology research and development. Program graduates can pursue employment as lab technicians, research assistants and quality control associates. The associate degree will enable graduates to work with different types of employers, including small testing labs, large manufacturers, government laboratories and research universities.

           The AAS program in agricultural biotechnology will help meet an increasing demand for skilled laboratory technicians in various fields of biological, chemical and agricultural technology. The program will prepare graduates to serve as research assistants to biologists and chemists, laboratory and instrumentation technicians, and quality control/quality assurance technicians. Graduates will pursue positions with various industry, university and government employers, including jobs in research and development, manufacturing, sales, customer service, and the production of bioengineered crops.

           RCCC also is working with Gaston College to develop a continuing education certificate program to quickly train persons with a science or laboratory background for work as clinical research technicians or assistants.

           RCCC plans to base all of its biotechnology programs in its 60,000-square-foot facility planned for the NCRC. Castle & Cooke Inc., will construct the building, with RCCC leasing to own to it.

           A study commissioned by the City of Kannapolis projects the NCRC will create more than 5,500 biotechnology jobs by 2013 and approximately 14,000 by 2032.

           For more information about biotechnology programs at RCCC, contact the college's biotechnology department at 704-216-7200, or visit the RCCC website at www.rowancabarrus.edu/biotechnology.

          Duke Energy, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest electric power companies in the United States. The company delivers energy to approximately 4 million U.S. customers. Duke Energy has approximately 35,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity in the Midwest and the Carolinas, and natural gas distribution services in Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Foundation improves the quality of life in communities through volunteerism, leadership and financial support through grants to charitable organizations.

           Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is a comprehensive, community-based institution of higher learning, serving the citizens of Rowan and Cabarrus Counties. RCCC offers approximately 40 programs of study in business, health and human services and engineering technologies at multiple campus locations. RCCC annually provides more than 2,000 course offerings, serving an enrollment of approximately 20,000 adult students. RCCC programs include an associate degree in arts and sciences, an associate degree in applied science, and diploma and certificate programs focusing on workforce training, continuing education and basic skills education.

           In addition, RCCC provides the education and job-training programs needed to meet many of the workforce demands of the North Carolina Research Campus, under construction in Kannapolis, N.C.

           For complete details, see the RCCC website at www.rowancabarrus.edu.