New Jersey Colleges Get $18.1 In Federal Funds For Programs

By Christian Wade | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square New Jersey

March 30, 2023

(The Center Square) — New Jersey's public colleges and universities are getting a tranche of federal grant money to expand cyber security, STEM research, and other programs.

The $18.1 million in grants, announced by members of New Jersey's congressional delegation, come from a $1.7 trillion spending bill signed in December by President Joe Biden to keep the federal government running through September.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, said the additional funding will provide the state's public colleges and universities with "vital support as they provide our students the well-rounded education and resources needed to compete in the workforce and realize their potential, and help their communities thrive."

Among the awards, Kean University will get $4.25 million for projects that include a higher education program for middle and high school students and their families, and for renovating the university’s research laboratories and incubator workspaces used by the university's Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship.

"With this funding and ongoing support from Kean University, ILSE will also work to promote job growth and diversity in the life sciences industry, increase career opportunities for students, and position the ecosystem for additional investments from federal grants and investors," Dr. Thomas Richardson, ILSE's president, said in a statement.

Seton Hall University is slated to receive more than $1.14 million to expand and upgrade its healthcare simulation center, which includes mock medical procedures such as childbirth to give students hands-on experience before they graduate.

Monmouth University is set to receive $640,000 to "develop, educate, and accelerate entrepreneurs" in Monmouth and Middlesex counties with a focus on underserved communities.
Stevens Institute of Technology will be getting $960,000 to buy new equipment, a computer cluster and satellite receiving station.

Many of the programs funded through the grants seek to tackle some of the state's most pressing problems, such as bridging the 'learning gap' among students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gene Lepore, executive director of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities, said the additional funding will "provide meaningful programs and supports to our students and communities."

"The programs funded will yield a broad array of benefits across the state, including equitable access to higher education, workforce pathways, upward socioeconomic mobility for students and families, access to healthcare, urban revitalization, scientific and technological innovation, and entrepreneurship," Lepore said in a statement.

The focus of the work of The Center Square New Jersey is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.