Langston University received nearly $1.5 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help strengthen education and research at its Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, as well as its Extension programs.
The University was awarded threecapacity building grants through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
The largest grant of$600,000 will go toward improving teaching methods in food and agriculture science, providing teachers with professional development training and building mentor relationships.
Another award, worth almost$150,000, will go toward bolstering recruitment efforts for minority students and helping advance career development strategies. The third award, worth$300,000, will go toward a project focused on better understanding the environmental impact of ruminant animals, like goats.
Langston University is among one of the country’s 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities to have received more than $33 million in grants dedicated to strengthening their agricultural sciences programs.
In the announcement, NIFA Director Manjit Misra recognized how the investment will go towards supporting 82 research and education projects at 1890 Land-grant Universities across the country.
“USDA looks forward to the impact these visionary projects will have in improving the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious and accessible food and agricultural products while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America,” he said.
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