FMCC Offers New Programs, Revamped Facilities to Students and Businesses
campus, downtown amsterdam, dr. dustin swanger, ease, education, fmcc, fulton montgomery community college, renovations,
Adapting to meet the community’s needs has always been a hallmark of Fulton Montgomery Community College.
The college’s commitment to the community is especially evident now with the announced major overhaul of its classroom building and opening of a satellite facility in downtown Amsterdam. At the same time, new facilities on campus will expand current offerings, and a major capital campaign is set to launch in 2008.
The goal, says Dr. Dustin Swanger, president, is to enable the college to be the “go-to” entity for local employers, whatever their needs.
“We’re really trying to get people to think of all the resources that are here at the institution when they’re looking at what their needs are,” Swanger says. “Ideally, we’ll be the first call when somebody needs help with their employees or needs help finding employees. Whatever the issue, we want them to know that we have the resources and, if we don’t, we can help them find what they need.”
A case in point is a planned laboratory for the radiological technology program. While area hospitals have been partnering with FMCC to provide lab experience for students, adding a new educational lab on campus will allow more students to enroll. The program is among the 50 degrees and certificates offered by the college, and is an example of how the campus is being retooled to fit changing workforce needs.
“Our modernization of the classroom building will make it much more contemporary and will also update the technology there,” Swanger says. “A lot of our facilities are original, and we need to bring them a modern look and feel in addition to just maintaining the infrastructure.”
With around 2,200 students, FMCC has long been a steady source of new workers for the area’s business community, supplying graduates in everything from automotive technology to nursing. And as technology, particularly the Internet, has revolutionized the way companies do business, the school has launched many new programs and services to keep up.
One such program is EASE, a software program accessible via the Internet, which allows employers to post job and internship opportunities. Students have access from any computer, and it’s a far cry from how those connections were made in the past.
“Before this, we had a bulletin board outside an office with 3x5 cards on it,” Swanger says. “This is a huge leap forward for us.”
The additional and upgraded programs haven’t gone unnoticed in the community. Recently FMCC was ranked as the No. 1 economic development asset in Fulton County in a survey of local businesses.
“That was great for us,” he says. “We want to provide continuing education for employees, as well as develop programs specifically for a company. The business community is very supportive of FMCC, and we want to meet their educational needs.”
Story by Joe Morris
