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.
The department of forensic science at historically Black Alabama State University has received a $167,127 grant from the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to create the Central Alabama Shared Technology Project. In partnership with the Montgomery County District Attorney and other government entities, the funds will be used to purchase a new DNA recovery system and supplies. The project will then focus on training local law enforcement, prosecutorial staff, and ASU students on how to best use the equipment to solve crime.
Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the NBA Foundation to support the HBCU’s Black Male College Explorers Program, an initiative that provides mentorship and guidance to local youth in grades 6 through 12. Participating students receive individualized tutoring, one-on-one mentoring, and extensive college preparation and career exploration opportunities with Bethune-Cookman faculty, staff, and students.
Earlier this year, Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh, North Carolina, had informed its upcoming graduating class of 2025 that those with unpaid tuition balances could not participate in commencement. While the majority of the HBCU’s graduating seniors were able to settle their balances with support from some of SAU’s alumni chapters, 11 students still needed financial assistance. In response, Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia has donated $132,469 to eliminate these students’ cumulative four-year debt.
Coppin State University in Baltimore has received a $6.225 million donation from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the institution’s largest-ever philanthropic gift. The new funds will support three key initiatives: renovating and expanding services at the HBCU’s health center, developing the CareFirst scholarship program for aspiring healthcare professionals, and establishing a statewide coalition of Maryland colleges and universities to share resources and create student pipelines from two- to four-year degree programs.
