Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.
Shelley White-Means, a professor of health economics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, has received a $1.5 million grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to study the disparity in breast cancer survival of Black women compared to White women. The goal of the research project is to identify effective public policy interventions and strategies to better support Black women with breast cancer.
Wellesley College, a women’s college in Massachusetts, has received a nearly $1.5 million award from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support their project “Transforming Stories, Spaces, Lives: Rethinking Inclusion and Exclusion through the Humanities.” The endeavor aims to restructure the college’s humanities curriculum by providing students with research and learning opportunties focused on understanding inclusivity in the humanities fields.
Howard University in Washington, District of Columbia has received a nearly $1 million grant from Gilead Sciences to increase HIV prevention, anti-stigma, and health equity efforts for Black cisgender and transgender women. The funds will support a collaborative effort between the historically Black university and HealthHIV, focusing on engagement and awareness through artistic endeavors such as podcasts, blogs, fashion shows, and workshops geared towards Black women.
The WISE Women’s Business Center at Syracuse University has been named a Entrepreneurship Assistance Center and received a grant from Empire State Development. The funds will support the center’s Accelerate Business Intensive, an 8-week intensive program that provides women entrepreneurs in the early stages of their business with expert guidance and personalized support.
Dr. Geneco comes to her new role from Tufts University in Massachusetts, where she has served as provost for the past four years. She is slated become the University at Buffalo's first woman president on August 10.
The new presidents are Laurie A. Boeding at the Technical College of the Lowcountry and Melissa Frank-Alston at Northeastern Technical College. Both women are expected to begin their presidencies on July 1.
Dr. McEwen comes to her new appointment following four years as president and vice chancellor of Victoria University in the University of Toronto. Earlier, she served in several leadership roles at the University of Toronto Mississauga. She received some of her education in the United States.
The new provosts are Barbara Rodriguez at the University of New Mexico, Bridget Chalk at Manhattan University in New York, and Jaci Lederman at Vincennes University in Indiana. All three women had been serving as their university's interim provost.
Dr. Howard joins Spelman from Ohio State University, where she has been serving as dean of the College of Engineering. She is a nationally recognized expert in robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-centered technology.