Higher Education Grants of Interest to African Americans

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.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a historically Black educational institution in Princess Anne, received a $300,000 grant from the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation to upgrade the university’s commercial kitchen teaching facilities. The grant will also provide funds for student internships and participation in conferences.

Historically Black Morgan State University in Baltimore received a $339,365 grant from the United States Army to purchase equipment for the university’s Center for Microwave, Satellite, and RF Engineering. The center will conduct research on systems for noninvasive detection of explosives and concealed weapons. The center is under the direction of Michel Reece, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. Dr. Reece holds bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from Morgan State University and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

Mills College, the liberal arts educational institution in Oakland, California, received a five-year, $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to motivate and prepare low-income students from Oakland high schools for college. Students in the program attend monthly seminars on study skills, college preparation, goal setting, financial aid opportunities, and career counseling. Black and Hispanic students make up a significant majority of students in Oakland public schools.

Winston-Salem State University, the historically Black educational institution in North Carolina, received a $4.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services to provide scholarships for undergraduate and graduate nursing students from underrepresented groups.

The School of Pharmacy at historically Black Hampton University in Virginia received a four-year, $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to provide scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The goal of the program is to increase diversity in healthcare professions.

Touro Graduate School of Social Work in New York City received a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide scholarships for students from underrepresented groups in the master of social work program. The scholarships will provide up to $21,000 annually for two years for students to complete their degrees.

Philander Smith College, the historically Black educational institution in Little Rock, Arkansas, received a $851,271 grant from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to fund the college’s Workforce Innovation Strategic and Economic Public/Private Partnerships Program. The grant will help fund degree programs in technical fields in STEM and high-tech fields as well as advanced manufacturing and finance.