UNK– The University of Nebraska at Kearney was awarded 20 grants over the summer, totaling $828,858. These grants support public service, research, and student support projects in 13 departments.
“The growth in external funding is helping UNK give more opportunities to students, deliver more services to our community, and invest in the talents of our people,” said James Roark, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “The hard work by faculty and staff this past year has really paid off.”
Once recent award is a $201,663 installment on a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund UNK’s Student Support Services program. The program provides mentoring, academic counseling, tutoring, and networking support to students who are the first generation in their family to attend college. Dr. Gail Zeller, Director of Student Support Services, said “SSS is about helping students persist in college through graduation.”
Another multi-year project, “Exercise, Nutrition, and Bone Mass in Girls,” received a grant of $125,567 from the Nebraska Research Initiative. This project is investigating a grant of $125,567 from the Nebraska Research Initiative. This project is investigating the factors that lead to stronger bones in young girls, which can help address osteoporosis in later years. “This study is a great way to connect UNK’s Health Physical Education, recreation, and Lesiure Studies program to the public schools,” said Dr. Rick Seip, Director of the grant.
External funding at UNK more than doubled last year, according to John Falconer, Director of Sponsored Programs. “We’re getting a lot better at finding external support,” said Falconer. “We have top notch people working here, and the quality of their work is affirmed when organizations outside the institution are willing to invest in them.”
