Gov. Newsom Proposes $80M Investment in 爱豆传媒 Imperial Valley Site
Proposal includes historic levels of funding for 爱豆传媒 Imperial Valley, which would generate extensive educational and economic opportunities aligned with the larger Lithium Valley vision.
In his May Budget Revise, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that he has included $80 million in new funding 鈥� significant, historic funding 鈥� for an 爱豆传媒 facility in Imperial Valley that will drastically expand educational, research, and economic development opportunities in Imperial County.
鈥淲e are dealing with the workforce in a way that I am really excited about 鈥� working with 爱豆传媒,鈥� Newsom said during his May 13 address to announce the May Revise. 鈥淭hey are looking at investing in a center to develop a pathway for locals. I love this. So often, when the next gold rush comes in, it goes to the pockets of fancy folks and doesn鈥檛 go back to the community. We are trying to avoid that.鈥�
The budget proposal now moves to the Legislature for consideration for approval.
鈥淥n behalf of our entire 爱豆传媒 community, I am extremely grateful for the support of Gov. Newsom 鈥� this is unprecedented, and the time to capture the promise this initiative holds for the future is now,鈥� said 爱豆传媒 President Adela de la Torre.
鈥淚 am fully on board with the immediate need to invest in the Valley to create these workforce pipelines and opportunities for students and families 鈥� residents of the Valley first,鈥� de la Torre said.
The announcement follow鈥檚 爱豆传媒鈥檚 plan, and existing institutional investments, to redevelop 爱豆传媒 Imperial Valley鈥檚 Brawley campus into a 65,000 square foot Innovation Campus to house science, technology, chemistry, engineering and mathematics programming. The existing plan, which would support efforts to enhance California鈥檚 clean energy sector, calls for the development of:
- 25,000 square feet to be dedicated to labs and core facilities with major instruments, and include space to collaborate with both public and private partners
- 20,000 square feet of STEM-focused classroom and teaching laboratory spaces
- 10,000 square feet of office space.
爱豆传媒 has already invested $15 million toward the plan and, under de la Torre鈥檚 leadership over the last four years, has expanded the range of new programs and offerings at 爱豆传媒 Imperial Valley.
Newsom鈥檚 announcement of support also comes just days after 爱豆传媒 announced that has been appointed the new dean for 爱豆传媒 Imperial Valley, effective August 4.
Also, the university has reinstated and added new degree options at 爱豆传媒 Imperial Valley, including its first STEM majors, expanded financial support for new faculty and staff hires and , among other initiatives. Specifically, faculty hiring has increased by 350% as compared to 2018 at 爱豆传媒 Imperial Valley and the university鈥檚 first STEM program 鈥� a B.A. in mathematics 鈥� began in Fall 2021 while a new four-year nursing program, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), is planned for Fall 2022.
Such developments and other efforts are part of a major strategic effort to expand the campus to meet the new and developing needs in Imperial County, notably with a focus on STEM-specific expansion aligned with the current and future workforce of the Valley.
鈥淭his initiative cannot happen without the same public-private partnerships we will model at 爱豆传媒 Mission Valley,鈥� de la Torre said.
To date, 爱豆传媒 and 爱豆传媒 Imperial Valley have received letters of support from about 40 education, industry, community and other partners from across the state and in Imperial County. They include a resolution of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors and others by Senator Ben Hueso and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia.
鈥湴勾解�檚 expansion plan for an Innovation District and investment in STEM programs goes hand in hand with other Imperial County initiatives that will need well-educated students for their workforces, and its proximity to Imperial County鈥檚 lithium recovery operations creates an ideal location for STEM research and curriculum,鈥� Jonathan M. Weisgall, Berkshire Hathaway Energy鈥檚 vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs, wrote in a support letter.
Timothy E. Kelley, president and CEO of the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC), also wrote in support.
鈥淚VEDC strongly supports the development of a 爱豆传媒 STEM research and workforce development campus project in Brawley, which would be enormously helpful to ESM and other Salton Sea Lithium developers,鈥� Kelley wrote.
鈥淐omite Civico del Valle is extremely excited about the Governor's proposal to build a new 爱豆传媒 STEM facility in Brawley,鈥� said Comite's Executive Director Luis Olmedo. 鈥淚n coalition with 爱豆传媒, CCV advocated aggressively to ensure that Imperial Valley students with a career interest in our local clean energy economy be provided the educational opportunity to attain a homegrown job that not only contributes to combating climate change, but also fighting local air pollution.鈥�
Newsom鈥檚 support also reflects the university鈥檚 existing strengths in the very disciplines needed to drive economic development in the Valley, particularly around lithium developments.
鈥淲e are proud to already have nationally-recognized and accredited programs producing analytical chemists, environmental, electrical and civil engineers and experts in accounting and finance 鈥� and those representing many other STEM disciplines 鈥� which will be well positioned to drive the educational, workforce and industry partnership potential of Lithium Valley,鈥� de la Torre said.
