At a Laboratory-sponsored regional community leadership breakfast, Laboratory Director Michael Anastasio presented checks for $100,000 to New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) President Jim Fries and Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) Executive Vice President Tom Garcia.
The funds are part of institutional agreements between Los Alamos National Security, LLC and the universities.
"The agreements between the universities and LANS are part of our community commitment and our investment in education," said Lillian Montoya-Rael, director of the Community Programs Office at the Laboratory.
The money will be used by the universities for program development, including assistance to NMHU for an endowment in the computer sciences field, resulting in the development of a local pool of graduates to address the Laboratory's future pipeline needs.
NNMC will use $50,000 of the investment for further development of its bachelor's program in nursing. The remaining monies will be used to augment NNMC's Teacher Education Baccalaureate program.
"We are very pleased. They [the funds] are much needed. This contribution will help provide for the needs of North-Central New Mexico," said Garcia, "especially the nursing program, because it is one of our most popular given our aging population and the growing demand for nursing and elder care."
"We are very appreciative of the support from LANS," said Fries. "Computer sciences is a very competitive field and these funds will help us to find and retain talented faculty to help prepare our students to help the Lab and industry."
The investments are one of three pillars in the LANS Community Commitment Plan to invest in regional education, economic development, and community giving.
For more information on the LANS Community Commitment Plan, contact Lillian Montoya-Rael of the Community Programs Office at 655-4400 or lillian@lanl.gov.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and the Washington Division of URS for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.