SALISBURY — The Gene Haas Foundation has awarded Rowan-Cabarrus Community College a grant of $12,000 to assist students enrolled in manufacturing, machining and engineering-related programs. Funds will be used to support scholarships, National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) credentialing and department sponsorships.

Rowan-Cabarrus Dean of Technical Programs Zackary Hubbard accepted a check  from Haas representatives Kyle Asmuth and Jesse Cranfill of Phillips Corp. at a recent meeting of the college’s board of trustees.

“We are grateful for our continued partnership with the Gene Haas Foundation and Phillips Corp.,” Hubbard said. “In addition to providing financial support for our students, they are able to provide insight on national trends in manufacturing and machining technology to help us ensure that we offer a top-notch program.”

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s variety of advanced manufacturing and engineering offerings include an Associate in Engineering degree, along with computer-integrated machining, electronics engineering technology, industrial engineering technology, mechanical drafting technology, mechanical engineering technology, mechatronics engineering technology and welding technology.

Over the past six years, the Haas Foundation has funded more than $60,000 in scholarships to Rowan-Cabarrus students, covering the majority of the cost of their attendance. This year, scholarship dollars were awarded to Rowan-Cabarrus students Tyler Goodman and Victor Turner.

Gene Haas, owner of Haas Automation, established the foundation in 1999 to furnish scholarship grants to institutions that provide education in computer-numeric controlled machining and other training related to the manufacturing industry. Haas Automation is one of America’s leading builders of computer-integrated machine tools.

“We continue to see consistent demand in the industry for people with these skills, and students coming out of these programs are hired quickly into positions with job security and room for growth,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus. “We are thankful for the five years of scholarship support that the Gene Haas Foundation has invested in our students.”

For more information, visit www.rccc.edu or call 704-216-RCCC (7222).