Officials say Brooklyn’s predominantly Black Medgar Evers College is having a banner year, with more than $12 million received in commitments towards faculty research and sponsored programs — an all-time record for the college.
According to Tara Regist-Tomlinson, director of Development and Alumni Relations, recent grants to the college include $3,000,000 from the U.S. Department of Education, Predominately Black Institution Grant, to improve retention and graduation rate; and $2,494,735 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Workforce Diversity Pipeline Program, to assist promising high school students to pursue successful careers in the health profession.
Regist-Tomlinson said the college also received $239,364 from the National Science Foundation, Research in Undergraduate Institution, to research on production of hydrocarbon fuel oil from brown grease.
New York City Department of Youth and Community Development, Beacon and Cornerstone Community Centers, also provided $4,973,468 for after-school enrichment activities for youths and basic skills training to adults in high-need communities in Brooklyn, Regist-Tomlinson said.
U.S. Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, who made the keynote address at the Medgar Ever College’s Faculty Research and Sponsored Research Recognition Reception on Friday, lauded President Rudolph F. Crew, a former New York City public schools chancellor, and Provost and Senior Vice President Augustine Okereke, for their leadership.
Clarke, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, also congratulated the college’s faculty and staff for writing the winning grants to improve retention and graduation rates.
She was also praised the college in assisting promising high school students to pursue successful careers in the health profession, to research on production of hydrocarbon fuel oil from brown grease, and to provide after-school enrichment activities for youths and basic skills training to adults in high-need communities in Brooklyn.
“This is $1million more than the college took in for the entire previous academic year,” Dr. Crew told the reception, adding, however, that “there’s still a great deal more to do to build on the college’s capacity to fulfill its mission.”
Crew’s views were shared by City University of New York Trustee Dr. Una Clarke, Congresswoman Clarke’s mother and a former New York City Councilwoman, and New York City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo, who were present at the reception.
They offered their best wishes and expressed continued support to the college and to the Central Brooklyn community, Regist-Tomlinson said.
