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.
North Carolina A&T State University was awarded a five-year $16.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and National Institutes of Minority Health and Health Disparities to create a new research center focused on alleviating health disparities. The funds will be used to launch an NIH Research Center in Minority Institution (RCMI) mechanism housed in the HBCU’s John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences. With an initial focus on brain health research, the RCMI will facilitate research projects and seminars; support the development of junior faculty, postdocs, and graduate students; engage underserved communities to advance health education and disseminate research findings; and build infrastructure for future health disparities research.
Morehouse College in Atlanta received a $50,000 planning grant from the National Science Foundation to support the HBCU’s participation in NSF’s FINDERS (Fostering Interdisciplinary Network Driven Educationally Responsible Solutions) Foundry program. This new national network is designed to develop AI learning pathways and innovative programs that address persistent challenges in education while strengthening the nation’s future workforce. Morehouse will use the new funds to explore the first phase of its research, which will explore stakeholder engagement, data collection, and the framework necessary to create a wireframe and prototype for their project. The planning grant also positions Morehouse to compete for a subsequent development award of up to $300,000 to further build, test, and launch their viable product into a public showcase.
The Lloyd College of Health, Science, and Technology at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina received a $300,000 award from the National Institutes of Health to create new pathways for students to pursue careers in biomedical science with an emphasis on neurological disorders and rural health. Over the next two years, the HBCU’s new FSU-GROW program will engage approximately 20 to 25 undergraduates and 50 to 60 local high school students. Undergraduate students will participate in faculty-guided laboratory research, clinical shadowing with regional healthcare partners, and professional development opportunities. Participating high school students will benefit from a one-week residential experience on the FSU campus to introduce them to biomedical and public health careers and research opportunities.
