Grants or Gifts Relating to Women in Higher Education

Here is this week’s news of grants and gifts that may be of particular interest to women in higher education.

Spelman College, the liberal arts institution for women in Atlanta, has announced a $100 million gift. It is the largest single donation ever given to a historically Black college. The donation is from businesswoman and philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband William Johnston, Chairman of Greenleaf Trust. Stryker has been a Spelman College Trustee since 1997.  She has worked for decades to empower women through higher education and advance opportunities for additional marginalized groups. About $75 million of the $100 million will go to endowed scholarships for future students, helping Spelman College continue to attract the best and brightest students, while working to remove any financial barriers that prevent qualified students from enrolling at Spelman. The remaining $25 million will be used to develop an academic focus on public policy and democracy, improve student housing, and provide flexible funding to meet critical strategic needs.

Central Michigan University, received a three-year, $990,183 grant from the National Science Foundation to boost the representation and advancement of women faculty in STEM disciplines. The funds will support intensified efforts to create inclusive faculty recruitment practices while bolstering mentoring avenues for women faculty. The grant will also support programs designed to interrupt bias and foster increased support from allies.

The foundation of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, New York is developing a mentorship program comprised of faculty, staff, alumni and local female professionals, who will serve as advisors to first-year female students enrolled in the university’s STEM programs. The initiative, funded by a grant from the Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, will focus on students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, providing impactful support and improving retention. The grant will support professional development training opportunities for faculty, staff, and external mentors; employ a part-time coordinator to oversee the program, which will include recruiting mentors, organizing programs, collaborating with campus partners, program assessment and student follow- up; provide networking opportunities for the mentors and mentees; and purchase program supplies and materials.