Riverside County, California – The Riverside County Board of Supervisors has set $5.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for California State University San Marcos at the Temecula Valley Campus in a major step towards improving local education and economic recovery. Under the direction of Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington, this project seeks to provide educational opportunities meant to revive the city both academically and economically.
The money will help a range of academic initiatives, especially those like nursing, hospitality, early childhood education, software engineering, and business management that suffered during the pandemic and had significant setbacks.
“By partnering with CSUSM, we are ensuring a brighter and more prosperous future for County residents,” said Board Chair Chuck Washington, Third District. “Investing in higher education is crucial for the future of our community. I encourage those interested in pursuing higher education to consider Riverside County as a place to grow their careers and contribute to our vibrant region.”
The money assigned is meant to cover important areas. For example, the CSUSM nursing programs will get enhanced technology and tools, which are necessary to hasten the training of future nurses among California’s continuous nursing shortage. Working with Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC), CSUSM will also increase its early childhood development initiatives to fulfill the growing need for certified early childhood teachers, therefore benefiting working families as well as young learners.
Additionally, CSUSM will provide an expedited bachelor’s degree in software engineering in response to the rising demand for technological experts. Working with area high schools and MSJC, this curriculum will be created to prepare students to enter the tech business. Improvements in hotel management and business administration also should help the local travel, tourism, and medical sectors.
CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt expressed gratitude for the support, who also highlighted the university’s major influence on the local community and part in fostering social mobility.
“I’m so grateful to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Chuck Washington, the city of Temecula and Mt. San Jacinto College for this partnership in support of CSUSM’s Temecula Valley campus,” said CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt. “As a leader in social mobility, CSUSM is proud to have more than 20% of our students from Southwest Riverside County with 8 out of 10 graduates staying in the region. This expansion builds a critical workforce to serve the community’s needs.”
The ARPA funding is part of the federal government’s efforts to facilitate recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Riverside County hopes to not only meet immediate educational requirements but also provide a basis for steady economic development and stability in the area through putting the funds into higher education.
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For more details on how these funds will be distributed and utilized, residents and interested parties are encouraged to refer to the official Riverside County website. In Southwest Riverside County, this investment represents a promising move forward in revitalizing educational institutions as well as the general economic possibilities of the area.
More information on the county’s disbursement of ARPA fund is available here.
