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.
Gadsden State Community College in Alabama was awarded a grant from the Gene Haas Foundation to provide financial assistance to students enrolled in the HBCU’s computer numerical control (CNC) machine and engineering programs with an emphasis on CNC technology. The funds will support students pursuing careers in precision machine and manufacturing through scholarships, student toolkits, manufacturing-related training opportunities, and opportunities to participate in industry competitions.
Kentucky State University received a $2 million Appalachian Regional Commission POWER grant to establish a new Center of Excellence supporting workforce development and economic recovery in Eastern Kentucky communities with ties to coal mines. Over the next four years, Kentucky State faculty and staff will provide local residents, landowners, and community partners with research-based training in restoration skills, land management, and ecological recovery. Ultimately, the center aims to unleash the agricultural potential of reclaimed mine lands, which could advance ecosystem performance and create new economic opportunities throughout the region. The project also includes collaborators from Virginia Tech, the University of Tennessee, and Tennessee State University.
Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was awarded a $2,241,737 grant through the National Science Foundation’s HBCU Undergraduate Program to launch a new five-year initiative to strengthen STEM education at the HBCU. The initiative aims to enhance undergraduate research, strengthen industry partnerships, and create new mentorship opportunities with faculty.
Morehouse College in Atlanta received a $200,000 donation from alumnus Truman N. Tolefree and his firm Intersection Realty Group to establish the Truman Tolefree and Intersection Realty Group Commercial Real Estate Finance Academy. Housed in the Morehouse Real Estate Institute, the new program will provide students with intensive training in the technical and analytical aspects of commercial real estate finance, investment, development, and asset management. Participating students will also have opportunities to connect with industry mentors.
Tuskegee University in Alabama was awarded $550,000 from the U.S. Department of War to enhance the HBCU’s experimental aerospace research capabilities through the establishment of a Comprehensive Instrumentation Suite for Experimental Aerospace Measurements. The new platform will allow faculty and students to conduct experimental research focused on low-speed aerodynamics and flight controls for rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft configurations, including emerging technologies in advanced air mobility.
