Northwest Secures $1 Million Appalachian Regional Grant
SENATOBIA, Miss. — Northwest Mississippi Community College has been awarded a $1 million federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to strengthen workforce development and expand its welding program at the Concourse campus in Batesville. The college will match the grant with $250,000 in funding for equipment and instructor salaries.
The ARC grant, approved Sept. 17, is part of a regional initiative to diversify manufacturing and build stronger communities across the Appalachian region, including Mississippi. At Northwest, the funding will support advanced training opportunities, industry-driven curriculum, and state-of-the-art technology designed to prepare students for high-demand, high-wage careers.
The Concourse welding program, led by instructor Rachel McGonagill, has already introduced students to employer-driven internships and cutting-edge equipment. With the new grant, the program will expand training in Panola County and neighboring counties including Yalobusha, Benton, Calhoun and Marshall.
McGonagill said the Batesville location has opened new doors for students seeking associate degrees in welding. “What’s different about our location in Batesville is we also have a separate air-conditioned room for our robotic welding lab,” she said. The lab will feature three welding robot carts, seven collaborative robot carts, and a 3D metal and fiber printer.
One cobot will be purchased with a GE Aerospace Foundation Grant, while the remaining six cobots and the 3D printer will be funded through the ARC grant. Instructors will also receive advanced training at the FANUC Academy in Michigan, where they will complete a three-day course in collaborative robot operations and programming.
Northwest President Dr. Michael J. Heindl praised the grant as transformative. “The ARC grant is a powerful example of how the college can transform students’ lives and strengthen our community when industry leaders, state workforce partners, and regional economic development agencies work alongside us to improve educational and workforce outcomes,” Heindl said.
The grant, listed under Grant No. MS-22355-25, builds on previous support such as the AccelerateMS Grant, which provided new equipment. College leaders say this latest award is the tipping point that allows the Concourse to expand into robotic welding and broaden program offerings.
