This award provides funding to support construction of a covered riding arena at Isothermal Community College (ICC) to accommodate growth in its Agribusiness; Equine Business, and Human Services Technology; and Animal Assisted Interaction programs. The new ring will also allow students to be trained on-site instead of traveling up to one hour to other horse facilities or farms that volunteer their covered arenas and horses for training conducted by ICC. Users in addition to ICC include: Therapeutic Riding of Tryon, and Rutherford and Polk County Schools. Enrollment in the college’s agribusiness and equine-related curriculum programs has increased by over 63% from 55 in fall 2019 to 90 in fall 2020, and the college has added new sections of equine-related courses in response to enrollment growth in continuing education. Programs will provide training and workforce development to prepare more than 175 students for full-time jobs in the growing local and regional equine and agribusiness industries. Those students who complete therapeutic horsemanship courses will be prepared to earn industry-recognized certifications from Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International that will make them eligible for over 345 full-time certified equine therapeutic instructor positions across North Carolina.
