Five Black Colleges and Universities Receive Grants to Revitalize Undergraduate Education in the Life Sciences

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Maryland, recently awarded grants totaling $60 million to 48 undergraduate colleges in 21 states. The grants will be used to revitalize undergraduate programs in the life sciences at these institutions. Among the 48 colleges and universities receiving grants are five historically black institutions. They are:

• Hampton University: The university received a $1.2 million grant for a program to increase the number of students seeking a Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences.

• Morehouse College: A $1.4 million grant will be used to establish an instrumentation facility on campus that will house a fluorescent microscope, microarray readers, and other sophisticated equipment for research.

• North Carolina Central University: The university plans to use a $900,000 grant for a program to recruit more students to its science programs. The university will begin an outreach program to area middle school and high school students. High school juniors will be brought to campus to participate in scientific research.

• Oakwood University: This Huntsville, Alabama, black college will use its $1.2 million grant to expand a summer research program that sends its undergraduates to leading research institutions across the United States.

• Spelman College: Students at Spelman College in Atlanta will use a $1.4 million grant to produce a film highlighting Spelman graduates who have pursued careers in science. The film will be used to recruit students for Spelman’s science programs.

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