Nova Southeastern University Receives Its Largest Title V Grant Award From The U.S. Department of Education

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla., Sept. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nova Southeastern University (NSU) has announced that it has been awarded a multi-million dollar "Cooperative Development Grant" by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), totaling approximately $3.9 million. The grant from the DOE's Hispanic-Serving Institutions Division, is the single largest Title V award received by the university.

The Title V funding will be used to develop programs and services to better meet the needs of students pursuing high-demand science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related programs and careers, and in particular, those students focused on academically challenging careers in computer science and computer information systems (CS/CIS).

NSU is one of only four institutions in the nation to receive the Cooperative Development Grant and the only college or university in the state of Florida to receive this award for FY 2013.

"Nova Southeastern University is pleased to be a recipient of an award of this magnitude, and for the Department of Education's recognition of our university's role in providing quality education to students from diverse backgrounds," said NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D. "NSU has one of the most diverse student populations in Florida and the Title V award will allow the university to further our commitment in providing an array of innovative programs and access to students from traditionally underrepresented communities. Dr. Meline Kevorkian and Dr. Greg Simco are to be commended for their work in leading this effort on behalf of the university."

Cooperative Development Grants are awarded to eligible Hispanic–Serving Institutions that are collaborating with one or more colleges or universities of higher education. NSU, a highly-rated provider of degree opportunities for Hispanic and other minority student populations, will serve as the lead institution, in collaboration with Broward College, a college with which NSU has had strong collaborations previously.

A joint statement issued by co-grant administrators NSU Associate Provost Meline Kevorkian, Ed.D., and Professor Gregory Simco, Ph.D., of NSU's Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences, indicated that four-year colleges are increasingly becoming the school of choice for students to begin their STEM education and careers. They believe it to be imperative that institutions such as NSU be more intentional in their efforts to collaborate with academic institutions such as Broward College, to ensure that student pathways to baccalaureate and graduate degrees are smooth and unobstructed.

NSU has been nationally ranked in the top 25 institutions for awarding degrees to Hispanic students according to the May, 2013 edition of Hispanic Outlook. In addition, Hispanic Outlook for May, 2012, ranked NSU among the top five colleges or universities nationally for awarding master's and doctoral degrees, and 1st nationally in awarding 1st professional degrees to Hispanic students.

NSU's cooperative development plan will provide outreach, academic support services, and fully supported degree pathways for Hispanic, Latino and other diverse student populations in the STEM academic areas. In addition, NSU will strengthen the rigor of its CS/CIS programs through improved technology, more effective instruction and training, including project-based learning, integrated student success strategies, and mentoring.

About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 300 beautiful acres in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at all levels.  NSU is a not-for-profit independent institution with an enrollment of approximately 27,000 students. NSU awards associate's, bachelor's, master's, specialist, doctoral and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. NSU is classified as a research university with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and it is one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie's Community Engagement Classification. For more information visit www.nova.edu.

SOURCE Nova Southeastern University