Spelman College, the all-women historically black college located in Atlanta, was recently ranked as the best historically black college or university (HBCU) by U.S. News & World Report. Well, it looks like that train of black excellence will not be slowing down any time soon. The college recently received a $2 million grant from the Department of Defense to support and grow its STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programming.
According to a press release from the school, Spelman will establish a Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM at the college. The center, in conjunction with the Office of Research, Innovation and Collaboration, will be the first of its kind and will become the hub for all of Spelman’s STEM majors, helping to explain why Spelman manages to maintain a stronghold on that top HBCU slot while also being considered one of the nation’s best institutions, period.
The new center hopes to address the pervasive underrepresentation of minorities in STEM, though at Spelman College (per their press release), 26 percent of students major in STEM compared to 16 percent at other HBCUs and 17 percent at all liberal arts colleges nationwide.
Spelman College’s president, Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., says “The Center aligns with the College’s strategic priorities and ensures that our students are empowered and equipped to enter competitive STEM fields. We are honored to be awarded this grant, and to have the support of the Department of Defense in assisting Spelman in fulfilling its mission to diversify STEM.”
Because of the work and innovation of Spelman College and the forward thinking of both the student body and its administration, Spelman continues to be a leader in academic excellence—and if Spelman College looks good, then the Atlanta University Center (AUC) looks good. If the AUC looks good, then HBCUs look good. If HBCUs look good, then the black community looks good. And since our excellence is universal, then the whole world gets to look good.
Spelman College, leading the pack since 1881.