Fayetteville State University’s Lloyd College of Health, Science, and Technology has acquired a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to promote scholar success and retention in science, expertise, engineering and arithmetic disciplines.
The grant, entitled “Supporting Undergraduate Success in Biology, Forensic Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Cybersecurity through Scholarships and Mentoring,” is a part of the NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (S-STEM). Under this new program, Lloyd College will develop entry to scholarships and mentoring for high-achieving college students with monetary want, fostering higher participation in STEM.
The grant’s management crew contains Principal Investigator Justin Graham, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology and honors program director; Co-Principal Investigators Danielle Graham, Ph.D., affiliate professor and chair of the organic and forensic sciences division; Erin White, Ph.D., affiliate dean of Lloyd College of Health, Science, and Technology; and Perry Gillespie, Ph.D., affiliate professor of arithmetic.
As principal investigator, Graham will oversee the venture’s implementation, analysis targets and reporting to NSF, whereas co-principal investigators share management program design, knowledge evaluation and scholar assist.
“Since joining the faculty at Fayetteville State University, one of my goals has been to establish a program that provides full-ride scholarships to deserving students,” stated Justin Graham in a press launch. “As an FSU alum and recipient of an undergraduate full-ride scholarship myself, I know firsthand how transformative it can be to remove the financial burden of paying for college. We are excited to see how far our students can go when they are able to focus entirely on their education and their full college experience.”
Over the subsequent six years, 30 college students pursuing bachelor’s levels in biology, forensic science, arithmetic, pc science or cybersecurity will obtain scholarships averaging $15,000 per 12 months. Alongside this, students will acquire hands-on analysis expertise, develop skilled expertise and construct useful business connections. These parts are designed to assist tutorial success and launch college students into promising STEM careers.
This newest NSF award provides to Lloyd College’s rising document of analysis and innovation. Earlier this 12 months, faculty school secured a $393,641 NSF grant to combine genetic engineering and computational biology into undergraduate programs. Fayetteville State researchers are additionally contributing to a $20 million multi-institutional NSF heart targeted on complicated organic processes. The college is a accomplice in a $3 million NSF-funded graduate traineeship program that integrates synthetic intelligence and plant sciences, collaborating with establishments corresponding to North Carolina State University. Together, these initiatives spotlight FSU’s increasing analysis partnerships and its rising nationwide profile within the sciences.
“This grant represents a transformational opportunity for our students and our institution,” stated Afua Arhin, Ph.D., dean of the Lloyd College of Health, Science and Technology, in a press launch. “I am deeply proud of the faculty who led this effort and have demonstrated outstanding dedication and collaboration in advancing student success in STEM.”
The S-STEM program will start recruiting its first cohort of 10 college students in spring 2026, with courses beginning in fall 2026.