Oakton Community College Formally Dedicates New PharmaCann Cannabis Cultivation Lab
dedicated its new 2,900-square-foot cannabis cultivation facility
as the PharmaCann Cannabis Cultivation Lab during a ceremony
with college officials, PharmaCann representatives and
community leaders in attendance. The recently opened facility and
the new PharmaCann Scholarship for Cannabis Education were
funded through a $600,000 PharmaCann donation.
“PharmaCann is committed to improving people’s lives through cannabis, which includes helping to develop the next generation of cannabis cultivators to lead our industry into the future,” said Brett Novey, CEO for PharmaCann Inc., one of the nation’s largest privately held, vertically integrated cannabis companies. “It is exciting to see the enthusiasm students have for the science of cannabis cultivation, and it is encouraging that curriculums such as Oakton’s cannabis certificate program will help develop a highly- skilled workforce. We look forward to one day working with the graduates of this program as they join our amazing industry.”
lab on Oakton’s Des Plaines campus includes three grow rooms
with humidity, temperature, aeration and security controls. The
space has allowed Oakton to expand its cannabis curriculum with
the introduction of a new, 12-credit hour Cannabis Cultivation
Certificate Program.
just a bit more than a year after the PharmaCann donation was
announced,” said Oakton President Joianne L. Smith, Ph.D. “The
cannabis industry represents a unique opportunity for students
interested in agriculture, science, healthcare, retailing and nearly
everything in between. Oakton is gratified by its partnership with
PharmaCann that will help bring this industry to life for students.”
Cannabis Education Programs was created through the donation to
help provide educational opportunities for students, with priority
given to students of Color, individuals adversely affected by cannabis
prohibition and domestic violence victims.
education program in such a meaningful way,” Novey said.
“The privilege of participating in the cannabis industry comes with
the responsibility to elevate those who were most impacted by the
inequitable enforcement of cannabis prohibition laws and to help
those populations in ways that will have a positive generational
impact in their lives and communities.
students will learn how to cultivate, cure and dry plants, as
well as processing and packaging. Understanding the seed-toharvest
growth cycle will prepare students for a broad range of opportunities in the cannabis industry, from retail and medical dispensaries to cultivation and craft grow centers. Students will train with hemp plants, which are botanically identical to cannabis, until such time that federal law on the handling of cannabis on college campuses is changed.
programs at Oakton, and nearly 150 credentials have been awarded. PharmaCann’s contribution to Oakton supports its social equity responsibility, per the Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. With equity central to both PharmaCann’s and Oakton’s missions, this gift seeks to create access to the cannabis industry for individuals from diverse demographics and backgrounds and with varying life experiences and perspectives.
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