Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations

HHMI grants $1.5 million in support of science initiatives at Vassar College

A grant of $1.5 million has been awarded to Vassar College by the nation‘s largest private supporter of science education, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). As one of the College’s most substantial grants to date in the area of science curriculum and programming, these funds will support the College in developing new opportunities for student-faculty collaboration, expanding the science curriculum and enhancing Vassar’s science facilities.

Several programs have already been designated to receive funding through this grant. New “Science Education Teams” will increase student exposure to the sciences through interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary team-taught classes. “Research Collectives” and “Diving into Research,” two programs that will enable students to conduct more hands-on science research, will also be made possible by this grant. “Research Collectives” will encourage mentoring of students by issuing credits for collaborative research during the academic year, and “Diving into Research” will prepare entering freshmen from minority and/or underserved backgrounds during a four-week summer program of field and lab work.

Nancy Jo Pokrywka, Associate Professor of Biology at Vassar, headed a team that worked closely with the Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations Unit of the Development Office to present a proposal to HHMI. Vassar’s award of $1.5 million was one of the largest given this year by HHMI through this initiative. Grant amounts ranged from $700,000 to $1.6 million, with a total of $60 million being distributed. Of the 192 colleges that applied, Vassar was among just 48 that received an award.

About Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations

The Office of Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations creates partnerships between Vassar and external funders to advance the College’s mission. Our partners help support academic programs, student services, facilities and equipment, and scholarships as well as faculty research projects.

Information for Vassar faculty members and administrators who are seeking support for curricular or co-curricular activities or for research can be found at the Grants Office