NORFOLK, Va. — Students at one university are getting the support they need for several programs, in an effort to assist with student retention.
Dominion Energy is donating $2.7 million in grant funding to Norfolk State University in its six-year 'HBCU Promise'. This is done as a way to improve student retention and graduation rates.
“Norfolk State University is extremely grateful for Dominion Energy’s commitment to educational equity and providing support to HBCU student excellence,” said NSU President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston. “For NSU, Dominion’s HBCU Promise Grant will be transformative and help to power access, opportunity, and success for the students of today and tomorrow at Virginia’s largest HBCU.
“The support from Dominion will help the university develop initiatives to help Spartans reach degree completion and will be a springboard to future achievements in their academic and professional careers.”
The money will also help bring in more minority students to have a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. STEM students who will be in NSU's Summer Bridge program will be able to benefit from the grant.
Additionally, any other students who are in good academic standing and have run out of Financial Aid money will also have the support from the funding so that they can graduate on time.
“We know that education can serve as a springboard for social and economic mobility,” said Ed Baine, President of Dominion Energy Virginia. “We’re honored to support HBCUs that are doing a great job developing the future workforce and leaders of our nation.”
Dominion Energy also committed to donating to 10 other HBCUs and in total is giving $25 million of grant funding to be split up between each of the schools.
It said the program is going to help with endowments, capital projects, operating expenses and educational programs in clean energy at historically black colleges and universities in Virginia. It will also support the HBCUs in Ohio, North Carolin as well as South Carolina.
In addition to the schools' grant funding, Dominion Energy is also giving out $10 million scholarships to help African American and other minority students who are underrepresented. This will only be in the company's service area.
For more information on how to apply for the scholarships, visit the Dominion Energy website.
