Obama Administration Awards $75 Million in Grant Funding

On Tuesday the Obama Administration made announcement stating that $75 million will be awarded to 24 colleges. This grant money is intended to help support and fund those institutions that are making strides towards innovative learning.

There were around 500 applicants that were entered into the running for the grant money according to the Education Department. The winning schools are comprised of 19 public and private 4 year colleges as well as 5 community colleges. For profit schools were not eligible for the grants and were unable to enter.

Of the $75 million dollars awarded there was $20 million set aside for minority serving schools. The Education Department reports that six institutions received these funds and that of them is a historically black university.

Bay Path University in Massachusetts was among the schools awarded this grant and plans to use the funds for the development of better digital learning programs. The program that will be most assisted by these funds will be the newly launched American Women’s College, which is the first of its kind in our country. The program in dedicated for women and is all online.

Purdue University is another recipient of the grant. Mitch Daniels, the university’s president says that they are planning to redesign the larger lecture courses. His hopes are that this expansion will engage the students more and ramp up their success.

Source:

Stratford, M. (2014, October 1). Federal Innovation Grants Unveiled. Retrieved October 1, 2014, from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/10/01/education-department-awards-75-million-innovation-grants-colleges