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 Howard University in Washington, D.C., received a three-year, $450,000 grant from the U.S. Office for Naval Research for the study of quantum communications, which will eventually replace emerging 5G technology. The grant program is under the direction of physics professor Thomas A. Searles. Dr. Searles is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta. He holds a Ph.D. in applied physics and electrical and computer engineering from Rice University in Houston.
Texas Woman’s University has been awarded a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for programs designed to provide services and support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are pursuing a college degree. One program will benefit 120 students in STEM disciplines and a second program will serve 140 students in other academic departments.
The United Negro College Fund received a $520,000 donation from the Olay products division of Proctor & Gamble. The funds will be used to support women of color pursuing degrees in STEM disciplines.
Morris College, a historically Black educational institution in Sumter, South Carolina, was awarded a five-year, $1,679,210 grant from the United States Department of Education. These funds were awarded to the college to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements, and to motivate students toward the successful completion of their post-secondary education.
The Levin College of Law at the University of Florida received a $1 million donation from alumnus Hugh Culverhouse to support the John Lewis Scholars endowment fund. The fund will provide full law school tuition for five students who graduated from historically Black colleges and universities.
Gregory O’Malley, an associate professor of history at the University of California, Santa Cruz, received a $60,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to continue research on a book on David George, who was born a slave in 1743 and whose pursuit of freedom intersects with major events of the Revolutionary Era in American history.
Historically Black Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina, received an $850,000 grant from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. The funds will help the college cover operational costs, e-learning platforms, instructional support, tuition scholarships, and budget shortfalls.
The University of Arkansas has been awarded a $1,075,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to support the recruitment and retention of doctoral students from populations that are historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the STEM fields. The grant will provide a $32,000 stipend, plus additional support costs, to a cohort of 12 students pursuing doctoral degrees.
The art museum at historically Black Hampton University in Virginia received a $218,669 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The grant will be used to will expand the accessibility of its African American art collection through a three-year collection management software implementation project.
