The first associate's degree program of its kind in the state, SCC's e-commerce program plans to use the Wachovia grant to purchase advanced equipment and to help fund on-going training for instructors.

Specifically, SCC officials plan to purchase a laptop and software for students to use in their Capstone course, which allows students to bring all their skills to an e-business project.

"Our students are currently working with several local businesses to develop web sites to support the businesses' on-line marketing and selling efforts," said Carolyn Porter, program coordinator for Southwestern's e-commerce degree program. "With a laptop and digital camera, students have an 'e-commerce kit,' which gives students all the tools they need to bear when they go to the place of business and work directly with a 'client' for the best possible result."

Because the dynamic field of e-commerce is ever changing, it requires on-going training - especially for instructors who want to share the most current practices with their students. Some of the grant will be used to fund a week of intensive training for Porter, allowing her to continue to offer the most current information and technologies to students in SCC's e-commerce degree program.

SCC offers its e-commerce degree as a concentration through its Business Administration program.