Google has awarded a $5 million grant to Alabama’s Tuskegee University to help diversify, support and enhance career opportunities in the growing technology industry.
Through education initiatives, Tuskegee University is among the top historically Black colleges and universities paving the way for its students to enter and succeed in tech careers. The grant will address disparities among African American students seeking STEM degrees.
“This financial commitment is our largest to date for HBCUs,” said Google Chief Diversity Officer Melonie Parker in an announcement. “Each institution will receive a one-time unrestricted financial grant of $5 million, providing institutions with the flexibility to invest in their communities and the future workforce as they see fit.”
Tuskegee University will use the grant to support scholarships, career readiness preparation, entrepreneurship mentoring, technological infrastructure and curriculum innovations.
“I am so very pleased that Google chose Tuskegee University as one of its partners for this program,” said Interim President Charlotte P. Morris. “Their $5 million gift will support the university as it bolsters its work in STEM education and moves forward into new fields in STEM and in business. This gift will have a lasting and profound impact on the course of the University’s future.”
Parker spoke of expanding relationships with higher education institutions to help meet the needs of HBCUs in a statement earlier this year.
“Now, we’re deepening our partnership with HBCUs with a new “Pathways to Tech” initiative, designed to build equity for HBCU computing education, help job seekers find tech roles, and ensure that Black employees have growth opportunities and feel included at work,” Parker said. “To help us drive this work, we are working with HBCUs to form a tech advisory board that strengthens our existing partnership.”
Other historically black colleges and universities receiving portions of the $50 million in grant funding are Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Howard University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, Spelman College and Xavier University of Louisiana.
Tuskegee University was founded by Booker T. Washington on July 4, 1881. The university has become one of the nation’s outstanding institutions of higher learning, ranking fourth among the best HBCUs, according to U.S. News & World Report’s most recent list.
To learn more about Tuskegee University points of distinction, click here.
(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)
