Media Alert
SPELMAN RECEIVES $1.4 MILLION GRANT TO MENTOR AND DEVELOP FEMALE SCIENTISTS
ATLANTA (April 24, 2008) Spelman College has received a $1.4 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to identify creative new ways to engage students in the biological sciences. Spelman will use the grant to help more Black women develop and maintain an interest in science through a documentary film project, a revamped mentoring program and new science classes.
“Spelman is among the nation’s leading producers of Black female science and engineering graduates, and we are always looking for ways to build on that success,” said Cynthia Bauerle, Ph.D., professor and chair of biology, and HHMI program director. “With this grant the College will be able to provide the type of mentoring and support that will lead more Black women to pursue careers in the sciences.”
Tarshia Stanley, Ph.D., associate professor of English, will use a portion of the grant to collaborate with student filmmakers to produce a full-lengthdocumentary examining the lives of recent Spelman graduates who are now pursuing successful careers in science. The film, which will focus on the lifestyle choices these women have made to balance their home and work lives, will serve to inspire science majors and encourage young alumnae to stay in the scientific field. Production on the film will begin in fall 2008 for completion by summer 2009.
In addition to the film project, funding will be used to create mentoring relationships between students and top minority women scientists, hire a new microbiology professor, create more genomics courses, and develop interdisciplinary science classes.
“The undergraduate years are vital to attracting and retaining students who will be the future of science,” said HHMI President Thomas R. Cech. “We want students to experience science as the creative, challenging and rewarding endeavor that it is.”
Spelman will also use the grant to inspire the next generation of scientists by pairing Spelman alumnae with female students at Atlanta-area high schools to encourage them to maintain their dreams and passion about science as they pursue their college degree.
Spelman was selected to receive a HHMI grant after going through a stringent review process conducted by distinguished scientists and educators that narrowed the 192 applicants down to 48 winners. The winning colleges received a combined award of $60 million to create more engaging science classes, bring real-world research experiences to students and increase the diversity of students who study science.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
HHMI, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations, is the nation’s largest private supporter of science education. The organization has invested more than $1.2 billion in grants to reinvigorate life science education at both research universities and liberal arts colleges around the country.
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Spelman College:
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is the only historically Black college in
the nation to be included on the U.S. News and World Report's list of top
75 "Best Liberal Arts Colleges — Undergraduate," 2005. Located in Atlanta,
Ga., this private, historically Black women's college boasts outstanding
alumnae, including Children's Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman;
U.S. Foreign Service Director General Ruth Davis; authors Tina McElroy Ansa and
Pearl Cleage and actress LaTanya Richardson. More than 83 percent of the
full-time faculty members have Ph.D.s or other terminal degrees and the
student-faculty ratio is 12:1. Annually, nearly one-third of Spelman
students receive degrees in the sciences. The students number more than
2,186 and represent 43 states and 34 foreign countries. For more
information regarding Spelman College, visit: www.spelman.edu.
