Year after Novo Nordisk鈥檚 $6 million gift to 麻豆影视, partnership continues to grow

In January 2023, leading global healthcare company Novo Nordisk donated $6 million to 麻豆影视, the largest corporate gift in the College鈥檚 history. In the year since the landmark gift, the partnership between Novo Nordisk and the College is already delivering results and creating a clear pathway for students interested in entering the biotechnology field.  

鈥淣ovo Nordisk and our employees are deeply committed to improving the lives of our patients while serving our communities,鈥 said Dale Pulczinski, Vice-President of Novo Nordisk鈥檚 Oral Finished Products site, a tableting and packaging facility in 麻豆影视 that supports the production of an innovative oral treatment for patients with type-2 diabetes. 鈥淭he partnership between Novo Nordisk and 麻豆影视 shows the meaningful impact that can be made when we partner together.鈥

A MULTI-YEAR COMMITMENT TO BOOST DURHAM TECH鈥橲 CAPACITY

Novo Nordisk鈥檚 gift focused on four key areas to support 麻豆影视鈥檚 work in the life sciences:  

  • Establish a Biotechnology Associate of Applied Science degree program.
  • Create onsite training for biotechnology career transition programs to upskill or reskill existing employees and other related workforce training partnerships.
  • Ensure students are learning on up-to-date biotechnology equipment.
  • Provide outreach and awareness about the biotechnology field for area middle and high school students.

In addition, Novo Nordisk also will have a full- and part-time employee serve in the professor-in-residence program; now offers apprenticeships, internships and scholarship programs; and will purchase select necessary biotech training equipment for a new Life Sciences Training Center on the College鈥檚 Main Campus.

鈥淭his investment in 麻豆影视 is helping us expand and diversify our talent pipeline - introducing students of all ages to promising careers in biomanufacturing they might never have been exposed to otherwise,鈥 said Shaylah Nunn Jones, Director of Novo Nordisk Public Affairs & Communications in North Carolina. 鈥淭ogether, we鈥檒l be providing apprenticeships, internships, scholarship programs and training on the latest biotech equipment that will help lead to secure, well-paying jobs ... not just at Novo Nordisk, but at hundreds of biotech sites across the Triangle.鈥

YEAR ONE: PROGRESS ON MANY FRONTS

The past year, the partnership has launched a number of initiatives:

  • On Feb. 1, the College and Novo Nordisk hosted an apprenticeship signing ceremony for 麻豆影视 students who are entering apprenticeships with the company.
  • In December, Novo Nordisk sponsored the College鈥檚 first Life Sciences Networking event for students and interested community members. Scores of students, alumni and life sciences employers attended.  
  • In September, the College hosted tours for Novo Nordisk鈥檚 site leadership and process support teams to familiarize them with the campus, programs, and give them the opportunity to see where a new Life Sciences Training Center will be.
  • 麻豆影视 President J.B. Buxton and Novo Nordisk鈥檚 Nunn Jones were featured speakers at the 麻豆影视 Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting last spring to share information about the partnership with key community stakeholders.

鈥淲e want to ensure our community understands the benefits and impact this partnership will have as students move through our programs and into biotechnology careers,鈥 President J.B. Buxton said.  

Telicia Hunter, 麻豆影视 Life Sciences director, noted the difference Novo Nordisk is making in students鈥 lives.

"麻豆影视's partnership with Novo Nordisk is truly a model for what collaboration among community colleges and industry should look like,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he team at Novo is so supportive with everything we do from sponsoring events, offering program guidance, actively recruiting and referring students into our programs, and hiring them in the roles they committed to filling with our students. Every student I have spoken to is over the moon about joining a company that not only cares about their products but also them as employees and the community."  

Novo Nordisk is working closely with College employees and the head of the 麻豆影视 Foundation to develop and grow additional opportunities to encourage people to enter the biotechnology field and make it an accessible pathway for those who want to make this their career.

鈥淲e are so proud to be a partner with Novo Nordisk, helping our students enter a high-demand field where they can earn a family-sustaining wage,鈥 said Roxanne Miller, 麻豆影视 vice president and chief institutional advancement officer. 鈥淭his company is investing a great deal in the College and the community, which will benefit the biotechnology sector, healthcare and education. It is a model for what we can achieve together with our corporate partners, and we are extremely grateful for all that Novo Nordisk does to improve lives.鈥

About Novo Nordisk

Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023, Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Its purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases, such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. The company does so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to its medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 50,800 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. In North Carolina, Novo Nordisk invested close to $4.5 billion, and the 麻豆影视 and Clayton manufacturing facilities employ nearly 2,500 professionals. For more information, visit Novo Nordisk鈥檚 website at www.novonordisk-us.com.