Congressman Adriano Espaillat has procured more than $10.8 million in funding for CCNY's RIWI since its inception.
In another massive boost to The City College of New York-based Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Development Initiative (RIWI), U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) has secured $4,116,279 in Fiscal Year 2024 Federal funding to establish a headquarters for the program and further address the lack of modern infrastructure jobs in the city. The money comes on the heels of the $1.5 million delivered to RIWI by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand last week to expand skills-based training at CCNY for low-income New Yorkers.
Rep. Espaillat provided a letter of support for the Senate application.
“I am proud to deliver $4 million in federal funding to secure a headquarters for the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative and its mission to help the CUNY and Harlem communities thrive,” said Congressman Espaillat, a longtime supporter, funder, and advocate of RIWI, which is in his Congressional District. “This is the first step to expanding skills-based development programs for the most in-demand occupations amid nationwide threatening shortages. When we invest in better infrastructure training for our workforce, we invest in a better New York City for all.”
Applauding Espaillat’s appropriation, CCNY President Vincent G. Boudreau said: “Congressman Espaillat has been a foundational advocate for and supporter of the Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative. This year, recognizing that the program already had outgrown its space, he has secured a visionary appropriation allowing us to build out our physical facilities. The existence and future of this crucial initiative owes a tremendous debt to the Congressman, and we are deeply grateful.”
Espaillat’s latest funding brings to more than $10.8 million in support that he’s procured for RIWI. In addition to the $1.5 million in the Senate for labor, operation, and program expenses, he secured $2.2 million in Fiscal Year 2023, and $1.5 million in FY 2022 (which New York Governor Kathy Hochul matched for an additional $1.5M in state investment).
RIWI is the brainchild of Dr. Robert E. Paaswell, Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering in CCNY’s Grove School of Engineering, in response to former Congressman Charles B. Rangel’s desire for modern infrastructure jobs in the 13th Congressional district. Dr. Angelo Lampousis is the program’s inaugural executive director.
RIWI’s overarching goal is to prepare a diversified and democratically constituted workforce for the crucial, patriotic work of rebuilding America’s Infrastructure. It will equip historically underserved communities with analytical and operational skills through innovative curricula, simulation-based training, and experiential learning to help them pursue career paths in the rapidly changing urban infrastructure sector.
About The City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi (now Lightcast) puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. This year, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign, ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.
Jay Mwamba
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jmwamba@ccny.cuny.edu