Lt. Governor Husted to visit CState on July 13 for demo of lab equipment obtained through state RAPIDS grants

Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted will visit Cincinnati State on Thursday, July 13, from 2 to 3 p.m., to meet with students and faculty members who use College lab equipment that was purchased with funding from Ohio RAPIDS grants.

• All employees are invited to attend the event with Lt. Gov. Husted, which takes place in B Wing on the first floor of the Main Building.
• Some parking in Lot D will be designated for guests on Thursday, so employees who usually park in Lot D may want to seek other options.

Since 2015, the College has been awarded six RAPIDS grants from the Ohio Department of Higher Education totaling more than $1.8 million.

The grant funds have been used to purchase new lab equipment that supports courses in Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics, Building Automation, Cybersecurity, Building Information Modeling, and Healthcare (Diagnostic Medical Sonography).

Lt. Gov. Husted also will discuss the new $100 million Super RAPIDS program that is included in the recently-approved state budget for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025.

The agenda for Lt. Gov. Husted’s visit is:

• 2 p.m. – Main 134 – Welcome from Board of Trustees Chair John Silverman and Provost Robbin Hoopes, and remarks by Lt. Gov. Husted
• 2:10 – Main 134A – Building Information Modeling demonstration led by Prof. George Armstrong and Civil Engineering Technology students
• 2:18 – Main 148 – Robotics demonstration led by Prof. Larry Feist and Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology students
• 2:26 – Main 141 – Fiber Laser Cutter and 5-Axis CNC demonstration led by Instructor Zane Decker and Mechanical Engineering Technology students
• 2:40 – Main 141 and B Wing hallway – Questions, discussion, networking, and refreshments

Background: RAPIDS and Super RAPIDS

The RAPIDS program (Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills), funded by the state capital budget, helps Ohio higher education institutions purchase workforce training and laboratory equipment to support hands-on learning opportunities that meet the unique needs of regional employers.

To be eligible for funding, institutions must work collaboratively as a region and receive statements of support from business and industry partners to verify the value and need for the equipment requested.

These equipment investments help develop and support workforce development initiatives and assist career aspirations of students as well as economic growth opportunities for businesses.

The new Super RAPIDS program is funded through the state operating budget via a one-time appropriation of $100 million, and is designed to strengthen the ability of colleges, universities, and technical centers to meet critical workforce needs of business and industry.

Funds will be deployed through a competitive process with the goal of targeting the most pressing business and industry needs in defined areas of the state, by adding capacity to educate and train more Ohioans who can take advantage of growing employment opportunities.

Subject areas that will be eligible to apply for Super RAPIDS funding include Advanced Manufacturing, Broadband/5G, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Trades, and Transportation.