More than $750,000 in grants generated in October
Dec. 8, 2000
KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University received more than three-quarters of a million dollars in grants for the month of October, according to a report presented to the University's Board of Trustees at its Dec. 8 meeting.
A total of $758,629 in grant funding was received, bringing the total of grants received by the University since the July 1 start of the fiscal year to $5,213,997.
The largest grant received during October was $210,710 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to supplement the University's efforts to encourage minorities to pursue education and careers in biomedical sciences. Dr. Gyula Ficsor, professor of biological sciences, and Dr. Leonard Ginsberg, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, received the funding to continue the "Bridges to Baccalaureate" program established in 1999.
Several other grants were received to supplement or continue existing programs or projects. They including the following.
A $89,797 Environmental Protection Agency grant to Dr. Jay C. Means, chairperson of the Department of Chemistry, will be used to examine the effects of chemical pollutants on organisms.
A U.S. Department of Education grant for $85,600 to Lynn Lee, director of the Upward Board Program, will support that pre-college program, now in its 35th year at WMU. The program provides academic, social and cultural support to students from disadvantaged families to help them prepare for success in college.
An award of $64,900 from the Michigan Department of Community Health to Carol Sundberg, director of the Center for Disability Services, will be used to continue that program's efforts to develop alternative programs for adults with severe disabilities who are now in segregated day activities.
A number of new grants were also received during this period, including a $53,700 Michigan Department of Education grant awarded to Dr. M. Arthur Garmon, assistant professor of teaching, learning and leadership, to increase the number of minority students, especially males, enrolling in and graduating from WMU's teacher education program.
Media contact: Marie Lee, 616 387-8400, marie.lee@wmich.edu