NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) has received a $626,536 Workforce Development Grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC). 

 

Over the next two years, this grant will fund the purchase of essential equipment for the College's biology and chemistry programs. MCLA was previously awarded $253,542 from MLSC in 2022 to support its equipment needs. 

 

MLSC seeks to further the development and expansion of life sciences education in post-secondary institutions to effectively prepare students for high-demand career opportunities in the life sciences industries. 

 

As MCLA joins this initiative, the College's life sciences faculty collaborated with local life sciences employers to identify and select the equipment that best prepared students for careers in the life sciences. The grant will purchase equipment that is essential to pharmaceutical design, biomanufacturing, and biomedical research. Additionally, other lab equipment will be updated to improve data integrity and accuracy. These specific instruments are equivalent or identical to our industry partners' tools, and crucial to student training and career preparation.  

 

"This grant is further proof of MCLA's commitment to responding directly to local workforce needs and to providing robust curricular experiences that lead directly to meaningful employment," said MCLA President James F. Birge. "We are grateful to the Mass Life Sciences Center for this investment in our region."  

 

The Workforce Development Grant program is part of $30.5 million released this year by the Healey-Driscoll administration to support life sciences education and innovation.