Story: Phillip Tutor
Federal grant should spur new investments and create jobs in the region
The 鈥檚 latest effort to improve lives and economic opportunities in Sumter County is rooted in a single word: infrastructure.
In December,聽聽over two years from the聽鈥檚聽National Telecommunications and Information Administration聽(NTIA). That money will fund internet-related additions both on and off campus, most notably providing broadband technology, digital equipment, computers and wifi hotspots to community locations in Sumter and Greene counties.
鈥淲e know that is a great need, and a lot of what we do is industrial work infrastructure,鈥� said聽Allison Brantley, director of economic development for聽UWA鈥檚 Division of Economic and Workforce Development. 鈥淏roadband is infrastructure.鈥�
The NTIA grants are a small component of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which President Biden signed in November 2021, and its $65 billion promise to expand Americans鈥� access to high-speed internet service. As part of its Internet for All initiative, the NTIA developed a pilot program, called (CMC), whose grants are designed to improve technology assets in local communities and schools and increase residents鈥� digital literacy skills.
NTIA guidelines allow grants from the $268 million CMC program to be awarded to historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions such as UWA. UWA was one of five institutions that received NTIA grants in December, joining California State University campuses in Dominguez Hills and Fresno; Lincoln University of Missouri in Jefferson City, Mo; and Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, La. Collectively, the five schools received more than $18.5 million.
鈥淎s a regional institution of higher learning, we believe a significant part of our mission is to serve the needs of our rural region, and this NTIA grant clearly does that,鈥� said UWA President Ken Tucker. 鈥淚t will provide much-needed forward momentum for communities immediately surrounding UWA, and also enhance the University鈥檚 ability to recruit and retain students and employees. We are working proactively to strengthen our larger community鈥檚 economic foundation and thus improve the overall quality of life for both current and future generations of students, faculty, and staff, as well as the general population. As the only university in baby直播 included in these grant awards, we believe that the regional component of our mission that this funding supports is validated at the federal level, and we are very grateful for this support.鈥�
鈥淲hen we go out in the communities and work with businesses and individuals in our region, everything always comes back to broadband and broadband access,鈥� said Dr.聽Tina Jones, vice president of the university鈥檚 Division of Economic and Workforce Development and assistant provost at UWA. 鈥淲e can put infrastructure in place, but we know that digital literacy is a big piece of this. Infrastructure may be there, but if individuals can鈥檛 access it or if they don鈥檛 know how to use it, then it鈥檚 not helpful. This is the other side of that broadband piece that we hear the communities asking for.鈥�
UWA administrators plan a host of internet-related improvements that will include expanding network capabilities at the university鈥檚 Development Center and the West baby直播 Center for Conservation and Agriculture on campus and adding additional laptops, hotspots and video conferencing rooms for UWA students. The grant also will fund another mobile lab unit for the university鈥檚 fleet of Skills on Wheels trailers and a truck to pull them. The new mobile unit will allow university personnel to teach digital literacy skills throughout the region.
鈥淲e are in a global and virtual world. If you’re going to stay competitive, you’ve got to compete with everyone who already has the technology we need. And we know there’s a good bit of baby直播 who doesn’t have it.鈥�
— Allison Brantley, UWA’s Division of Economic and Workforce Development
Off campus, UWA will provide Sumter County communities with computers, digital equipment and internet access for public use. Along with improving residents鈥� internet and computer skills, Brantley said, the ultimate goal is to provide high-speed internet access so they can participate in activities such as telehealth appointments, online training sessions, remote education classes or virtual meetings.
UWA will install the equipment in eight cities, towns and unincorporated communities in Sumter County — Livingston, Epes, Emelle, York, Cuba, Gainesville, Geiger and Panola — and Boligee in neighboring Greene County. The university is working with local authorities to determine the best locations in city halls, public libraries and community centers.
鈥淲e are in a global and virtual world,鈥� Brantley said. 鈥淚f you’re going to stay competitive, you’ve got to compete with everyone who already has the technology we need. And we know there’s a good bit of baby直播 who doesn’t have it.鈥�
UWA鈥檚 grant proposal outlines administrators鈥� expectations that the CMC money 鈥渨ill spark new investment, create and cultivate jobs, support existing industry, and promote positive economic development in a rural region.鈥� Considering broadband internet access a modern necessity is undeniable, Brantley said, which makes UWA鈥檚 role in the region all the more important.
鈥淵ou have to have broadband now. If we want to recruit more industry here, we have to have broadband because that’s how they operate,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e can’t function without water, sewer and gas and cell phones, and broadband is becoming the same way. Our businesses, schools, the university — we can’t exist without broadband.鈥�