Sappi Fine Paper commits $50,000 to Support Innovative Instruction and Equipment Upgrade at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College

CLOQUET, Minn., Aug. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sappi Fine Paper North America has committed $50,000 over two years to support innovative instruction and modern technology equipment purchases in the Electrical Utility Technology program at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (FDLTCC) in Cloquet, Minnesota. The Sappi gift to Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College is the largest donation to the college's current effort to increase partnerships with local industries and businesses.

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FDLTCC is matching the Sappi commitment with an additional $50,000, making the total commitment $100,000 for this project between the two partners.

Sappi's gift is made in recognition of the positive relationship between the company and FDLTCC, and their shared goal to continue educating and building a high-quality, skilled workforce. "Strong collaboration between Sappi and the local educational institutions reflect Sappi's commitment to supporting the community and the community's commitment to providing the necessary training for future potential employees for the long term benefit of both" said Rick Dwyer, managing director, Sappi Cloquet operations.

Sappi Fine Paper North America has been a significant, long-term partner with FDLTCC. The company is involved with the college through continuing education and customized training programs, providing professional representatives at career fairs and employer job fairs, working together on curriculum innovations, supporting the college Foundation, and ultimately hiring FDLTCC graduates.

"It is exciting to announce this gift and think ahead to the immediate enhancements we will make to our existing curriculum and hands-on lab applications," said Larry Anderson, president of Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. "We have a great employer and educational partner in Sappi Fine Paper North America. This is overwhelmingly positive for everyone involved, including our college instructors, our students, and our industry partner and major employer in the region we both serve. This $50,000 gift is a great boost as we continue our mission to provide relevant higher education opportunities in these communities and fulfill the goals of the strategic framework adopted by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System."

FDLTCC will use the Sappi gift to modify existing curriculum in the Electrical Utility Technology program based on recommendations made by representatives from Sappi Fine Paper North America-Cloquet Operations and other local manufacturers. New lab equipment purchases will provide students the opportunity to learn on equipment that is the industry standard. The course content revisions and equipment upgrades will provide students with practical skills and knowledge necessary to enter the industrial and manufacturing electrical field, which in turn will assist area manufactures meet their needs for skilled employees.

About Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College was founded in 1987 and was Minnesota's first tribal college. The unique college brings together a tribal college and a state community college in partnership, the only such partnership in the United States. Annual enrollment is more than 2,800 students, and the college generates an annual economic impact of $38 million in northeastern Minnesota. For more information about FDLTCC, visit www.fdltcc.edu

About Sappi Fine Paper North America
Sappi Fine Paper North America, known for innovation and quality, is a preeminent North American producer of coated fine and release papers, as well as dissolving wood pulp (DWP) and market kraft pulp headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Its coated fine papers, with highly recognized brand names such as McCoy, Opus, Somerset and Flo, are used in premium magazines, catalogs, books and high-end print advertising. The company is also the world's leading supplier of release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries, including the globally recognized Ultracast brand. Sappi's release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. Sappi globally is the world's largest manufacturer of dissolving wood pulp and the leading supplier of viscose staple fiber. Dissolving wood pulp is a versatile raw material used by manufacturers to produce a wide range of products including textile fibers, pharmaceutical, beauty, and household products. Sappi Fine Paper North America, through the recent conversion of the Cloquet pulp mill, manufactures dissolving pulp under Sappi's Specialised Cellulose division primarily for the textile markets.

Sappi Fine Paper North America is a subsidiary of Sappi Limited (NYSE, JSE), a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with over 14,000 employees and manufacturing operations on three continents in seven countries and customers in over 100 countries around the world. Learn more about Sappi at: www.sappi.com/na

SOURCE Sappi Fine Paper North America

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