By Tim Mastro

WILMINGTON — Gov. John Carney and Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long on Wednesday announced $107 million for Delaware colleges and universities to support pandemic-related projects funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.

The funding will provide $41 million for the University of Delaware, $33 million for Delaware State University and $33 million for Delaware Technical Community College. 

“Delaware’s institutions of higher education are helping us rebuild from the pandemic and will put this funding to good use,” said Gov. Carney. “This support will help train new nurses, public health professionals and child care workers, facilitate a state-of-the-art laboratory at the University of Delaware, establish a center to study health disparities at Delaware State University and strengthen child care and health care programs at Delaware Technical Community College. Thank you to members of our federal delegation and President Joe Biden for fighting for these important resources.”

“Our institutions of higher education are excellent partners to help us build a stronger and healthier Delaware,” said Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, PhD, RN. “A new world class infectious disease lab will place Delaware at the forefront of cutting-edge research as we develop ways to help protect the health of our families. The COVID-19 pandemic has ripped the curtain back on the glaring health disparities our different communities are experiencing. These investments with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act will go a long way toward eliminating those inequities, while building and expanding a workforce of healthcare professionals and childcare workers to support that mission.”

The University of Delaware will use $41 million in ARPA funding to help build a state-of-the-art facility for education and research in understanding, treatment, and prevention of diseases in Newark. 

It will train the next generation of Delaware public health professionals, including mental health professionals, and help meet demand in the state’s health care workforce. The facility is expected to be completed in mid-2024, at a projected total cost of approximately $165 million, with the balance of funds to be provided from university sources.

Graduates from the university’s clinical programs currently work at Christiana Care, Nemours, the Wilmington VA Medical Center, and the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families, among other health care settings. 

“We are deeply grateful to Gov. Carney’s administration and our Congressional delegation for securing this significant capital funding for the University of Delaware, which will greatly benefit our students and researchers and strengthen the state’s economy,” said UD President Dennis Assanis. “This interdisciplinary science building at the heart of the UD campus will catalyze cutting-edge research in the fields of human disease, developmental disorders, neuroscience and human behavior, and educate more than 1,000 students a year in those critical areas of healthcare need. In addition, by enhancing collaborative partnerships within the state and beyond, this new facility will be an invaluable asset for our entire community for generations to come.”

Delaware State University plans to use ARPA support to fund a series of projects, including:

• $7 million to establish a comprehensive clinical facility to combat health disparities, housed at the DSU Center for Health Disparities’ Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory in Dover.
• $10.6 million for the new DSU Early Care and Innovation Center, first announced in November.
• $7.4 million for technology upgrades in classrooms.
• $2.5 million to improve existing facilities to meet pandemic operational needs.

“The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic for higher education go far beyond testing, vaccination, and quarantine,” said Dr. Tony Allen, President of Delaware State University. “We are rethinking nearly every element of instruction and facilities management, and we are incredibly thankful to have partners like Governor Carney who understand the critical nature of our mission and are willing to invest in helping us meet these challenges. Our students, faculty, and staff will be safer because of these ARPA investments, which will allow us to continue changing the life trajectories of those who attend America’s most diverse, contemporary HBCU.”

Delaware Technical Community College also will fund a series of projects with ARPA support, including:

• $15 million for the Allied Health Center of Excellence, which will be located at the George Campus in Wilmington. Allied Health graduates from DTCC, including respiratory therapists and emergency medical technicians, work in Delaware hospitals, primary care, and other health care facilities. DTCC will expand access to its paramedic instructional program and surgical technology program at the site to meet growing workforce demand.
• $6.5 million to build a Childcare Center on the Stanton campus to serve infants to school-age children. The center will expand child care education in New Castle County and provide area workers with additional child care options.
• $1.5 million for a culinary workforce development grant.

“Governor Carney has remained laser focused on strategically investing in capital projects that will benefit our students and Delaware’s employers statewide,” said Dr. Mark Brainard, president of Delaware Tech. “His support, along with our Congressional Delegation, has been critically important as we provide our students with the high-quality labs and classrooms they need to effectively fill high- quality jobs – especially during this healthcare crisis.”

Delaware State University and DTCC also will use the ARPA funding to make HVAC upgrades.