Here is this week’s news of grants to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
Lincoln University, a historically Black educational institution in Jefferson City, Missouri, received a $4.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The funds will be used for student services designed to improve academic success, retention, and graduation rates.
Virginia Commonwealth University received a $1.5 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for programs to reduce the transmission of HIV among young adults, particularly African Americans. The grant program is under the direction of Faye Belgrave, a professor of psychology at the university.
Historically Black Alabama State University in Montgomery received a three-year, $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education for programs to increase the number of students from underrepresented minority groups who pursue degree programs in nanobiotechnology and other STEM disciplines.
The University of Cincinnati received a $2.5 million grant from the Office of Minority Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for programs to increase the number of students from racial and ethnic minority groups pursuing degrees in health-related fields. Karen Bankston, associate dean for clinical practice, partnership, and community engagement for the university’s College of Nursing will be the co-director of grant project. Dr. Bankston holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kent State University. She earned a Ph.D. in nursing research from the University of Cincinnati.
Hampton University, the historically Black educational institution in Virginia, received a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will provide tuition assistance to 24 students in the field of communication science and disorders.
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland received a five-year, $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for programs to support 20 students from underrepresented minority groups in its doctoral program in nursing. Under the grant, students from master’s degree nursing programs at Ursuline College and Cleveland State University will receive support to enter the doctoral program at Case Western Reserve University.
Historically Black North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro received a five-year, $1,190,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to support its STEM Scholars Program. The initiative seeks to train K-12 educators in STEM fields to make their curriculum culturally relevant to students in schools with large numbers of Black and minority students. The grant program is under the direction of Anthony Graham, a professor and interim dean of the School of Education at the university.
The University of Alabama Birmingham received a $100,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for research on the perception of racial discrimination in health care settings. The research will also examine how these perceptions impact medication adherence among African Americans with hypertension. The project is under the director of Jessica Williams, an assistant professor of health services administration. Dr. Williams joined the faculty at the university in 2012. A graduate of Birmingham Southern College, Dr. Williams holds a master of public health degree and a Ph.D. in public health education and promotion from the University of Alabama Birmingham.
