Central State University News September 2015 Central State University Receives Nearly $600,000 to Create an Ag-STEM Institute Central State University will create an Ag-STEM Institute to prepare youth and college students for careers in agriculture. Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown announced an award of $599,997 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund the program. The funds are from the Department of Agriculture's 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program. "The agricultural research and education fostered at 1890 land-grant institutions supports farming and production nationwide," Brown said. "These federal resources will help Central State University continue its long tradition of providing Ohio students with a quality education that allows graduates to obtain jobs in one of Ohio's leading industries." As an 1890 Land-Grant University, Central State University is expanding its highly regarded STEM curriculum to include teaching, research and extension initiatives in the area of sustainable agriculture. The goals of the Ag-STEM Institute are to: * Increase the recruitment and retention of African Americans and minorities into Agriculture-related STEM majors at Central State * Develop a pipeline of minority graduate workforce with the appropriate technical and professional skills to fulfill the employment requirement for USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and related Agriculture businesses in the nation. Enhance Ag-STEM career awareness and interests for Youth in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.