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Millersville University has recently received two different grants to provide students with opportunities to further their education.
Special Education Grant
The Pennsylvania Department of Education has awarded $1.5 million in grant funding to 15 universities, and Millersville will receive $100,000. The universities awarded all partner with school districts that expedite the process for students to become special education teachers.
This grant will help expand Millersville University’s online post-baccalaureate teaching certificate in special education. The University plans to commit 80% of the funds to scholarships and financial assistance for deserving candidates, making the certification more accessible to aspiring educators. The rest of the grant funding will be used for instructional materials and faculty development to improve the program further.
“We are immensely grateful to the Pennsylvania Department of Education for their generous support of Millersville University’s accelerated, online special education certification program,” said Dr. Deborah Tamakloe, associate professor of special education at the University. “This funding allows us to expand our reach and improve the educational experiences of individuals with special needs. We are committed to preparing highly skilled and compassionate educators who will positively impact their students’ lives.”
The grant is a part of the Department of Education’s efforts to recruit and retain teachers. Millersville University offers a variety of post-baccalaureate teaching certifications, including a certificate in special education, which made the University eligible for the grant. Interested students can visit the University’s website or contact the graduate admissions office.
Interested in studying special education at Millersville? Click here for more information.
Manufacturing PA Grant
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development announced $2.1 million in grants last April as a part of the Manufacturing PA Initiative. Millersville University is one of 19 Pennsylvanian colleges and universities to receive between $20,000 and $70,000 in grant funding. Millersville’s portion of the grant is $68,860.
The Manufacturing PA Initiative approved 31 student research projects focused on developing new technologies and advancing manufacturing innovation. Since its inception in 2018, the program has awarded over $11.9 million to 475 students across the commonwealth, providing them with hands-on research experience and assisting 142 companies.
Four Millersville University chemistry students will work with the locally owned Fontana Candle Company, providing technical assistance and researching how the ingredients of environmentally friendly candles interact to optimize production.
Dr. Jeremiah Mbindyo, professor of chemistry at the University, is the principal investigator for the grant. “Students will have the opportunity to see the real-world application of classroom knowledge and learn about sustainable practices from a frontline, reputable product manufacturer,” he explains.
Because the Fontana Candle Company uses all-natural ingredients to make their clean burning candles and other products, the students will gain hands-on chemistry experience by studying how the different ingredients blend. Based on their findings, they can then recommend how to streamline the manufacturing process and reduce defects in the production lines.
This is not the first time Millersville University has received a grant from the Manufacturing PA Initiative with the help of Mbindyo. In 2022, the University was the first school in the PASSHE system to receive this particular funding.
These students “will have a unique opportunity to apply skills and knowledge learned in class to solve real-world problems of interest to industry,” Mbindyo concludes.
For more information about the Manufacturing Pa Initiative, click here.
