U . S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Representative Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) joined other public officials and community college leaders to celebrate the opening of the Mount Airy College Center for Health Care Education on Monday, October 1. The 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting marked a collaborative effort to educate workers to fill health care jobs in the region.

The Center was created through a partnership among Carroll, Frederick and Howard community colleges. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony officials took a tour of the facility and enjoyed refreshments. The Center is located at 1902 Back Acre Circle in Mt. Airy, Maryland.

The unique collaboration unites health care programs from all three community colleges, helping to reduce a shortage of health care workers in Maryland. With support from a $1 million federal grant in 2010, the community colleges worked together to share resources and open the Center this fall. About 200 students have started their training in high-demand programs to earn an associate degree or certificate, or pursue a continuing education program.

The facility features 15,750 square feet of academic and support space, which is leased out of a total of 24,000 square feet in the building. The Center includes three lecture rooms, one computer lab, two allied health simulation labs and two biological science labs. Student computers and free wireless are available throughout the facility. The Center also houses faculty and staff offices.

"The new health care education center at Mount Airy is about jobs, jobs, jobs. It's about giving people the tools they need to keep the jobs they have and it's about preparing people who need jobs for jobs that are available in Maryland today," said Senator Mikulski, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee who fought to secure the federal grant for the Center. "With these funds, Carroll, Frederick, and Howard community colleges will train a new pipeline of workers to fill jobs in health care fields that are needed now and will be needed even more in the future. This is a win-win opportunity to help save lives, transform lives and transform communities."

"The Mount Airy College Center for Health Care Education is a great victory, not just for our students but for all Marylanders. This Center will play a critical role in establishing and sustaining a pipeline of qualified health care professionals for our state in a time when many communities are facing shortages," said Congressman Cummings. "Access to quality healthcare is a matter of life and death, especially for the elderly, the poor and the ill. I applaud this joint effort of our community colleges and commend the leadership of the college presidents in spearheading this critical work."

"I am pleased to witness the culmination of much hard work among the colleges to guide the Center towards completion. The programs will provide graduates with the skills to sustain life-long careers in the high-demand health care field," said Carroll Community College President Dr. Faye Pappalardo.

"The Mount Airy Center is a testimony to what we can achieve when we all work together and share resources," said Frederick Community College President Dr. F.J. Talley. "This facility greatly serves the training needs of students in our region, and it benefits health care providers that desperately need skilled workers."

"Community colleges are known for benefitting students first and foremost," said Howard Community College President Dr. Kate Hetherington. "In addition to providing a superior education to those pursuing training in critical workforce areas, the facility will serve as a national model to show how colleges and health care providers can collaborate to increase educational opportunities."

A benefit of the Center is the short commute from all three home campuses. Classes are offered days, evenings, and weekends. Another benefit is that residents of Carroll, Frederick or Howard counties pay the standard, in-county tuition rate for any class at the Center.

The concept of the shared facility originated during the 2008-2009 academic year. The groundbreaking was held in July, 2011. The project developer was Back Acre Holdings, L.L.C. Ayers Saint Gross architects provided interior space design. The general contractor was TSI Commercial Construction.

For more information, please visit www.mtairycollegecenter.com.

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