Overview of the HHMI Grant

Mentoring Black Student Academic Excellence at UNM and Creating a STEM Equity Bank

Funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Inclusive Excellence 3 (IE3) Learning Community Clusters (LCC) 2 Grant to UNM.

  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) grant to UNM seeks to increase capacity to support equitable and inclusive learning environments for introductory-level STEM students in a 14-institution learning community. The PI is Pamela Cheek.
  • The Division for Equity and Inclusion (DEI) received a sub-award for a program, titled, Mentoring Black Student Excellence at UNM and Creating a STEM Equity Bank, Co-PI Assata Zerai. For more info on HHMI, see: https://www.hhmi.org/science-education/programs/inclusive-excellence-3-learning-community
  • DEI, African American Student Services, and the Department of Africana Studies are collaborating to lead this grant.
  • The project provides support for six years (2022-2028). 
  • 2022-23 Participants:
    • Approximately 10 faculty and staff mentors
    • Research team of approximately 5 faculty and staff
    • 15 first -year students who participated in the African American Student Services (AASS) Summer Bridge Academy in 2022

Purpose of the Grant

  1. help to build some organic connections between African American Student Services (AASS), Africana Studies, and Black faculty and staff at UNM
  2. strengthen retention of Black students
  3. give rise to a STEM Equity Bank, so that the best practices learned from our faculty and from the project, can be shared across the region and nation