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12 Programs Receive STEM Grants To Encourage Minority Participation

The United States Department of Education has awarded more than $2.7 million in grants to 10 colleges and universities under the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program.

The grants were awarded to help strengthen STEM programs in schools with high minority populations, with the goal of expanding participation among underrepresented groups, "especially women," according to ED, as well as to improve math and science instruction in general.

According to ED: "Under a competitive preference priority, this year the applicants were invited to address the need to 'increase the number and proportion of high-need students who persist in and complete college or other postsecondary education and training.' They were also invited to address the invitational priorities to 'institutionalize practices which have evidence of success,' and to 'improve STEM education in the first two years of college.'"

Individual three-year awards ranged from about $170,000 to $300,000 and were granted to 12 individual programs, with University of Texas at El Paso receiving three separate awards. Ten of the awards were for institutional projects, one for a cooperative project, and one for a special project.

Recipients of the 2013 MSEIP grants included:

  • College of the Sequoias in California, $249,242;
  • Florida A & M University, $239,240;
  • Medgar Evers College in New York, $250,000;
  • Community College of Philadelphia, $216,149;
  • Universidad Metropolitana in Puerto Rico, $245,475;
  • University of Texas at Brownsville, $206,637;
  • University of Texas at El Paso, three awards: $171,727, $198,672, and $300,000;
  • University of Houston, $175,341;
  • Texas A&M University, $246,146; and
  • Texas College, $250,000.

In addition to the 12 new grants, 26 programs are also receiving continuation grants under MSEIP.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


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