Dive Brief:
- Six historically black colleges and universities in Mississippi will get $250,000 to promote STEM initiatives, thanks to a new partnership with Nissan.
- The automotive company announced Monday it would send money to Alcorn State University, Coahoma Community College, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Rust College, and Tougaloo College.
- The money will promote programs and departments across a range of STEM fields, including applied sciences, engineering, math, computer science, and information science.
Dive Insight:
This is not Nissan’s first donation to historically black colleges and universities in Mississippi, one of its large manufacturing strongholds. According to a press release announcing the financial support, Nissan also donated two robots to Alcorn State University in 2013. Partnerships such as these give students greater opportunities than they otherwise might have. As private and public institutions continue to face tight budgets and pressure to keep tuition low, investment from outside partners is critical. Collaboration between colleges and universities and their local businesses is particularly important for students, who can take advantage of the connection during their job searches.