Schumer, Gillibrand, Morelle Announce Over $5 Million from Department of Defense to Bolster MCC and Give Finger Lakes Workers the Skills They Need for Good-Paying Tech Careers Vital to National Security
September 27, 2023
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s office issued a news release on the federal grant award on Sept. 27, 2023:
MCC is one of the only community colleges in the nation offering an optics associate degree; federal funds to strengthen facilities, meet regional need for trained photonics workers
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Congressman Joe Morelle today announced a $5.1 million, three-year grant award for Monroe Community College’s (MCC) optics program from the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Manufacturing Engineering Education Program (MEEP). Schumer, Gillibrand, and Morelle secured a critical increase for this program allowing MCC to tap this funding to help grow their program as previous funding was set to expire this month. The representatives explained this major multi-year grant will provide the critical resources to fund MCC’s optics associate degree programs, providing Rochester optics and photonics companies the skilled workforce to fill good-paying jobs in the region that are vital to our national security.
“Rochester has long been known for eye-catching industries, and now after years of advocating for the growth of the vital optics and photonics industry, I was proud to secure the funding needed for the Department of Defense to double down on Monroe Community College as a major focus for training the optics workforce vital to our national security. The Rochester optics industry, which boasts well over 100 optics companies that employ 18,000 workers, relies on MCC to train the next generation of skilled optical workers it needs to grow. MCC is a proven leader in optics and photonics training with one of the first and only associate degrees in optics training and today we are building on that success by connecting local Rochester and Upstate New York students to good-paying Rochester jobs in this cutting-edge field,” said Sen. Schumer. “I am proud to deliver this major $5+ million federal grant, made possible by the critical increase I was able to secure in the FY23 Omnibus Bill, so that Monroe Community College can continue to train the next generation of optics technicians that are crafting the vision of our technological future.”
“For years, Monroe Community College has been training workers for careers in optics and photonics, jobs that are vital to our national security,” said Sen. Gillibrand. “This funding will provide MCC with the crucial resources needed to prepare Finger Lakes workers for good-paying jobs and boost the local economy. I am proud to announce this funding and will continue to fight to provide resources to train workers for jobs that support our national defense.”
“Congratulations to Monroe Community College on receiving this prestigious and well-deserved Manufacturing Engineering Education Program award,” said Rep. Morelle. “This investment in our burgeoning optics workforce is not only key to our national defense, but also a conduit to enhancing our local economy and cementing our place as a regional tech hub. I’m grateful to Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for sharing this vision and appreciate their support for this funding.”
MCC President DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Ph.D., said, “Monroe Community College continues building on its efforts to strengthen the talent pipeline across the Finger Lakes region to ensure a robust optics technician workforce. In 2023, MCC graduated the most students in the optical systems technology program’s history and has seen increased student enrollment in the program over the past two years. This latest federal funding support will enable MCC to create opportunities for more residents, especially those in historically underrepresented communities, to secure a family-sustaining career in the high-demand advanced manufacturing industry. We are grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representative Morelle for their leadership and support of our shared vision to advance the economic mobility of residents across all ZIP codes and bolstering our regional economy.”
New York Photonics Executive Director Tom Battley said, “The longest-standing precision optics program in the United States, at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY, led by Professor Alexis Vogt, is recognized around the country and around the world as the leading program of its kind. And the graduates have 100% job placement. Colleges around the country and precision optics manufacturers around the country are eager to learn how MCC does it. Precision optics are essential in everything from defense and biotech applications to satellites and quantum technologies. We count ourselves extremely lucky that our Washington delegation understands the importance of this critical program.”
Schumer, Gillibrand, and Morelle explained the DoD’s MEEP invests in programs that better position the current and next-generation manufacturing workforce vital for our nation’s military systems and components that assure defense technological superiority. This is the second time MCC has been awarded funding through the MEEP program, as the nation’s first community college to administer associate degrees in precision optics. With this latest round of funding, MCC will be able to strengthen its existing program to grow the national workforce for the optics industry and give workers the skills they need for careers with major local employers in the region in the optics and photonics industry. Specifically, MCC seek to grow enrollment for this program for the highly in-demand optics industry and seek to establish new training and apprenticeship opportunities.
Schumer, Gillibrand, and Morelle have been longtime advocates for Monroe Community College’s optics degree programs. In 2017, following their relentless advocacy, the representatives secured over $550,000 from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advanced Technology Foundation’s Education program for MCC to expand its optics degree programs, purchase new equipment, as well as develop a new curriculum and expand student outreach.