PENDLETON Next year, Blue Mountain Community College will receive the first third of a nearly $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. All 17 Oregon community colleges applied as a consortium to receive $18.9 million dollars total, BMCC director of grants Susan Plass said. This gives us the resources to send people for training, she said.

Among with several projects outlined for the money, BMCC plans to hire coordinators for a career pathway center to help students figure out their education trajectory, she said.

Veterans will benefit, too, since the school will set up programs so military training can turn into college credit.

The CASE program grant runs for three years, and then Plass hopes theyll keep on at least one permanent position at the career center. 

Kate Whittle