HBCUs Latest Extramural Awards
Tuskegee Receives $7.1M Grant to Improve Veterinary
Program
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services has awarded a grant of $7,181,671 to the Tuskegee University School of Veterinary
Medicine within the College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health. The grant will
enable the veterinary program to expand its ability to recruit, train and retain African-Americans and
other under-represented minority veterinary medical students and faculty as well as continue to
educate culturally competent veterinarians and public health professionals.
The funding period will cover 2015-2018. The multimillion-dollar grant is through HRSA’s Bureau
of Health Workforce’s Centers of Excellence (COE) program. The funds will benefit the Centers of
Excellence in Minority Veterinary Medical and Public Health Education at Tuskegee.
It will also assist with improving the veterinary school’s educational infrastructures including
enhanced e-learning environments (information/communication technologies), more counselors, peer
and faculty tutors, strengthening the mentoring program (consisting of peer and veterinary/alumni
mentors), researchers and educators.
“The grant award of over $2.3 million yearly for the next three-year period would not have been
made possible without a team approach which was directed by Dr. Cheryl Davis, COE coordinator
for the college. The COE proposal and progress report required diligent, dedicated, and cooperative
efforts from our faculty and staff who realized the necessity in advancing our mission/goals and the
national health priorities as expressed in Healthy People 2020 which focuses on major improvements
for public health,” said Dr. Ruby Perry, dean of the college.
“Under the progressive leadership of our president, Dr. Brian Johnson, the future of the university
and the School of Veterinary Medicine are on an upward trajectory and being awarded the COE grant
is very significant as we realize the challenges in the current economy.”
The COE grant provides a great opportunity for the college to expand its educational pipeline to
channel more African-Americans and other underrepresented minorities interested in health careers.