FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. — The 2024 Election came to the Triad Friday as First Lady Jill Biden visited Forsyth Technical Community College.
During her visit, First Lady Biden spoke about how the funding from the Biden administration facilitates community college education to address workforce needs.
A student, staff, and alum shared how their time at Forsyth Technical Community College prepared them for the workforce and changed their lives.
"These are great interesting careers of the future, and you're going to be the ones changing lives, so we're going to pass the baton to you," First Lady Biden said.
Forsyth Technical Community College is a part of a $30 million dollar investment into state education by the Biden-Harris Administration.
Researchers tell WFMY News 2 this investment enables them to continue life saving research in biotechnology.
The community college is working on several projects to help others through agriculture and medicine. The school is teaming up with ProKidney research to make advances in diabetes through cell therapy.
"We are doing a trial, taking cells that we have developed and putting them in FDA approved trials in order to prevent or avoid dialysis," Senior Vice President of ProKidney Research Joseph Stavas said.
He said these trials are aimed toward people with type two diabetic chronic kidney disease.
The $30 millions dollars heading to North Carolina is a part of the Biden Administrations Investing in America agenda. It is made possible by the National Science Foundation.
Her visit comes after President Joe Biden visited Raleigh last week, and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Charlotte a few days before that.
Political pundits say all these visits show how powerful North Carolinians' votes will be in November. Just check out this electoral forecast map that shows that states are only slightly red, slightly blue, or somewhere in the middle.
North Carolina is especially important because of the number of electoral votes it has - 16.
However, not much polling has been done in our state yet.
The latest poll on the presidential election in North Carolina was back in December. It showed former President Donald Trump had a slight edge, up 4% over President Joe Biden.
Polls also indicate the economy will be one of the main issues that voters care about.
In the meantime, Republican candidates are turning their attention to South Carolina - with the primary election there on February 24. Political experts say it's a safe bet GOP candidates will make more campaign stops to the Triad before November.
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