Senator Fuschillo Announces $750,000 in State Funding to Help Farmingdale State College Promote Economic Development

            Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) today announced $750,000 in new state funding has been awarded to support initiatives undertaken by Farmingdale State College to help create jobs and promote economic development. The funding was awarded as part of the second round of Regional Economic Development Council Funding, which Senator Fuschillo supported as part of the state budget.

            Senator Fuschillo said “This is a welcome investment which will help create jobs, promote growth, and strengthen Long Island’s economy. Expanding the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park and bringing the EngINE initiative to Farmingdale State College will also provide enhanced training and educational opportunities to students.  This  is exactly the type  of investment we should be making in order to move Long Island’s economy forward.”

            Governor Andrew M. Cuomo said, "For the second year in a row, the Regional Councils have been on the forefront of rebuilding New York State's economy. For too many years, top-down economic development policies have failed communities across the state and not truly invested in the unique resources and strengths of each of New York's regions. Now a new, bottom-up approach is in place that brings local communities together to chart their own economic destiny. The second round of Regional Economic Development Council awards will deliver funding for critical projects and investments in communities across our state, helping put New Yorkers back to work and rebuilding our economy."

            The $750,000 in state funding will go to support two initiatives being sponsored by Farmingdale State College:

• $500,000 for the expansion of the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park, a biotechnology research park developed on the campus of Farmingdale State College in conjunction with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, which is widely known as one of the premiere research institutions on genetics in the world. Senator Fuschillo authored the laws which created the Broad Hollow Bioscience Park and authorized its expansion.

• $250,000 for the EngINE Initative, which will help Farmingdale State College expand their engineering degree programs to help train new engineers and meet the demand for new students. The program will help reduce the shortage of engineers needed to create an innovation economy.