UMES First HBCU Selected for Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Driving change Initiative Grant
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is the first Historically Black College or University selected as a recipient of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Driving Change Initiative grant. The University will receive $2.5-million in start-up funds over the next five years beginning Tuesday. UMES has awarded 60% of its degrees in the STEM fields in the past several years and also has the most healthcare professions programs of any HBCU – with eight.
Press release from UMES:
UMES was one of six universities to receive an award from the funding competition, which included a self-study process involving assessments regarding the university’s dedication to “establishing a scientifically grounded culture to the institution,” according to the HHMI. UMES was one of 38 finalists for the honor.
“Our undergraduate student population is 83% students of color, of which 50 percent are already enrolled in STEM majors,” said UMES President Heidi M. Anderson. “Through Driving Change, we will transform the infrastructure and vastly open up opportunities for these students contributing to a science-driven cultural change.”
The purpose of Driving Change, which was launched in 2019, is to “create inclusive environments, promote student success, and recognize the institutional practices and historical context that are barriers to inclusion,” according to the HHMI.
As a result of the HHMI’s proposal, UMES will create a new program called STEM STARS (Students Achieving Results in Science), which will be a living-learning, cohort model where students immerse themselves into the university’s culture and activities that support collegiate goals.
The program will be a welcome addition to the institution, which has awarded 60 percent of its degrees in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math in the last several years. UMES also has the most healthcare professions programs of any HBCU with eight, which also contributes to its STEM success.
