Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.
North Carolina A&T State University was awarded a $2.5 million grant from Action for Women’s Health, a philanthropic initiative founded by Melinda Gates that aims to improve the mental and physical well-being of women from all backgrounds. The new funding will support the university’s human lactation certificate program, which prepares students to become International Board Certified Lactation Consultants. The program – one of only 11 accredited certificates of its kind in the world – also operates a no-cost Community Lactation Clinic that provides breastfeeding resources to pregnant and postpartum women.
St. Catherine University, a women’s undergraduate and co-ed graduate institution in Minnesota, recently received two grants totaling over $200,000 from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. The first award will fund programs at St. Kate’s that support the college attendance of historically underserved students and bridge the gap between high school and postsecondary education. The second grant will provide emergency aid for students facing unexpected financial crises, ensuring they have the needed resources to complete their education.
Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, professor of nutrition at Texas A&M University, has received a $2.1 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to improve the cardiovascular health of women in rural Texas through evidence-based nutrition, physical activity, and community engagement strategies. Through the grant, a sample of women participants will learn about the cardiovascular benefits of physical activity and nutrition, as well as the social and environmental factors that influence heart health.