The National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA) joins forces with the White House to provide more opportunities for outstanding HBCU scholars.
The highly esteemed association is teaming up with the White House Initiative to help advance equity and economic opportunity through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholar Recognition Program—a student recognition program created to "honor current HBCU students for their excellence."
This partnership will "foster innovation and hands-on experiences for HBCU Scholars." The program will include a NASA pitch competition starting this year. This will be a "small-scale version" of NASA's MUREP (Minority University Research and Education Program) Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition (MITTIC).
"NASA is excited to formalize our participation and see the innovated ideas HBCU scholars will bring to the competition," Torry Johnson, the manager of MUREP, said. "Since 2018, MITTIC has provided students at Minority Serving Institutions a glimpse into NASA's Technology Transfer Program and a unique opportunity to explore their entrepreneurial interests using NASA's technology portfolio."
White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities Partners with NASA to Foster Innovation and Opportunity for upcoming HBCU Scholars! @NASA
@usedgov
https://t.co/rPrHXwlI26
pic.twitter.com/KCm66kLspb— White House HBCUs (@WHI_HBCUs) January 12, 2022
"The partnership will officially make the MITTIC program part of the Initiative's HBCU Scholar Recognition Program, starting with this year's cohort of student Scholars. The program will support students in developing ideas to commercialize technology derived from NASA Intellectual Property," added Arthur McMahan, the White House Initiative's senior associate director.
McMahan has also shouted out the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to HBCUs, specifically in the realm of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Back in November, President Biden's Build Back Better Plan began making headlines, as it proposed the prioritization of $3 billion in funding for STEM programs at HBCUs.
"Our relationship with NASA validates the Biden-Harris Administration's and the initiative's commitment to enhancing STEM in the HBCU space," he stated. "This opportunity provides our outstanding HBCU Scholars with the tools and experiences needed to succeed in the 21st Century economy and beyond."
The 2022 application for the HBCU Scholar Recognition Program is expected to be available sometime this month, and students will present their NASA pitches during the National HBCU Week Conference in September.
