Funds to be used in support of workforce training and economic development
August 26, 2022–Ephraim, UT – Snow College was selected to receive $2.4 million in grant funding by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The funding will be used to construct the Innovative Agricultural Building, which will support agricultural workforce training and entrepreneurship in central Utah.
Special thanks go to Snow’s Economic Development Team, Small Business Development Center, and agriculture faculty for their work in securing this grant. The team is excited about the possibilities the funding will offer our local community. As stipulated in the grant, local workers will be used to construct the building, bringing high-paying construction work to the county.
Construction for the building will cost a total of $6 million and will take place in two phases. Thanks to the EDA grant and an additional $600,000 donation, the first phase is anticipated to begin this fall. In phase one the main structure, which will house an arena, will be built. Once complete, the school will have the capacity to add three new programs to its offerings: Veterinary Technician Assistant, Equine Therapy (providing therapy to horses), and Equine Assisted Therapy (utilizing horses as a therapeutic resource for adults and children.) These in-demand programs will not only offer more options for local students, but will also attract students from around the state to Snow College.
An additional $3 million in funding is needed for phase two of the building, which will add classrooms, horse stalls, an agriculture mechanic shop, space for rural emergency response training, community training, and more to the facility. Interim Vice President for Technical Education and Workforce Engagement Jay Olsen explains, “This is a milestone for the growing Agriculture program at Snow College to add in-demand programs as well as innovative agriculture educational certificates and opportunities. This facility will also benefit other college programs, departments, and college activities; as well as the community.”
Snow College, founded in 1888 by Utah pioneers, is a two-year college with campuses located in Ephraim and Richfield, Utah. Serving more than 5,000 students, the college has been nationally recognized for its student success rates, affordable cost-for-value, involvement opportunities, and exceptional teaching. Learn more about all Snow College has to offer online at snow.edu.
