Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Department of Education is splitting $3 million among 13 colleges and universities with large minority student populations to strengthen their STEM programs through the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program.
- The three-year awards will expand opportunities for high school and college students, as well as offer faculty training and renovate classroom and lab spaces.
- Schools in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia received the grants, which range from about $119,000 to $300,000.
Dive Insight:
Science, technology, engineering, and math fields are predicted to be among those with the greatest job market growth in the coming years. Since STEM fields are generally expected to give students high-paying, high-quality jobs after graduation, philanthropists and governments have prioritized expanding opportunities in these fields for promising minority students.
In a conversation about programs that lead to career success, the liberal arts are often put down as lesser, but research shows even if their first jobs pay less, liberal arts grads often catch up by mid-career, in some cases surpassing the earnings of STEM majors.