Philander Smith College has received a $2.5 million grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) for a new HBCU Center of Excellence in Digital Education and Rural Workforce Development.
The Economic Development Administration is an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the grant, which will be matched with $638,420 in local investment.
“The Biden Administration is committed to putting Americans back to work and providing the training needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow,” Raimondo said in a statement. “Historically Black Colleges and Universities play an important role in creating economic opportunity in their communities, and through this EDA investment Philander Smith College will develop and build a comprehensive digital learning center to provide students with the skills and opportunities needed to earn well-paying, quality jobs.”
Using this grant, Philander Smith will renovate the M.L. Harris Fine Arts Center, repurposing it for the Center of Excellence in Digital Education and Rural Workforce Development. This center will feature a 500-seat auditorium providing economic workforce development programming and a Community Learning Lab with multiple workstations for technical training and upskilling.
This center is projected to create 65 new jobs and produce $400,000 in private investment.
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