Higher Education Grants or Gifts of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

Historically Black Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, received a $470,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. The grant will allow the university to buy a spectrometer that can measure the accurate mass of molecules in research to detect diseases and develop drug targets for potential cures. Specifically, the research is focused on finding markers for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among African American smokers. The research is under the direction of Derrick Swinton, professor of chemistry and interim dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the university. Dr. Swinton is a graduate of Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and holds a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Delaware.

Kutztown University in Pennsylvania received a $194,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help fund its summer bridge program to help students from unrepresented groups prepare for a college-level curriculum. As a result of the grant, 30 students from Allentown, Norristown and Harrisburg school districts in Pennsylvania will be able to enroll in the summer bridge program.

Howard University, the historically Black educational institution in Washington, D.C., received a $200,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support two, three-year scholarships for undergraduate women who are majoring in engineering. In addition to covering tuition and fees, the scholarships will also cover the cost of room and board as well as supplies over the three-year period.