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.
Hampton University, a historically Black institution in Virginia, has received a $750,000 donation from Leidos, an innovation company focused on defense, aviation, information technology, and biomedical research. The gift will fund new student scholarships, campus technology upgrades, and the development of the Leidos Innovation Studio, which will provide students with internships and real-world research opportunities.
The College of Pharmacy at Xavier University of Louisiana, an HBCU in New Orleans, has been awarded a $200,000 Community CareGrant from Aflac. The grant will be used to create the Aflac Health Equity Research Scholar Program, which will help students conduct research into local health disparities. Additionally, the new funds will support the HBCU’s Telehealth Center’s Digital Literacy program and its Health and Wellness Center. Aflac also provided XULA with a commemorative Aflac Park Bench on campus.
Kentucky State University, a historically Black institution, has received two grants totaling $380,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service to support two research projects focused on controlled environment agriculture. This innovative farming method, which uses technology-based approaches to control aspects of farming such as lighting and water, could help maximize food production with limited space and resources in urban areas.
Harris-Stowe State University, an HBCU in St. Louis, Missouri, has received a $500,000 gift from PENN Entertainment, Inc., an operator of integrated entertainment, sports content, and casino gambling. The funding will be used to develop a new STEM building on campus and provide scholarships to students studying STEM fields.
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama has recently bestowed a total of $1,125,000 in grant funding to support 22 breast cancer research projects across the state. The grant awardees include scholars from two HBCUs: Alabama State University and Tuskegee University.
