Project Title:
Albany State University - Connecting Minority Communities
Funding Program:
Connecting Minority Communities Program
Project Purpose/Type:
Albany State University (ASU)'s Connecting Minority Communities project has three primary goals: (1) plan, develop, and expand ASU Global to extend the university’s online reach to remote students, (2) expand broadband internet access, connectivity, and digital inclusion in the community, including for ASU remote learners, and (3) build the institution’s capability to provide asynchronous and synchronous educational instruction and learning opportunities.
City/Town/Service Area:
State(s):
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$2,997,777.00Funding Amount$2,997,777.00Total Project Cost0.00Non-Federal Cost Share
Through these activities, ASU aims to provide access to a premiere HBCU education for remote learners, develop and expand its offering of accelerated, accessible programs for remote students, and ensure access for low-income and traditionally underserved students.
- Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and development of a plan and roadmap for the implementation of ASU Global
- Cut student course material costs through expanded use of open educational resources, including dual enrollment opportunities with students at dual enrollment partner high schools
- Purchase devices, educational software, internet access services, and other IT software and hardware for the community prioritizing eligible low-income students
- Hire key personnel including an Instructional Technologist, Instructional Designer, help desk employees, and student interns
- Evaluate the grant-funded programming to produce a replication manual of best practices.
As a result of implementing the proposed project activities, the following outcomes will be realized at Albany State University (ASU) and the surrounding community.
- The federal investment in this project will generate a substantial economic impact for Albany, Dougherty County, and southwestern Georgia.
- Will bring access to quality HBCU education through a digital platform to students from anywhere with an internet connection.
- The online college program will address the needs of students to succeed in academic and student services and will expand access to an HBCU education for remote learners while improving the existing programming, expand the library collection, and cut costs for low-income students by providing Open Educational Resources (OER) whenever possible.
- Will allow ASU to project HBCU college courses all over the nation to include the Northeast and Mid-West which lack these services and will also be available for military and their dependents stations.
- Will allow students across Georgia, and outside the state, to receive course credits and fully online degrees and certificates.
- Will ensure equal access to online course content which will build the university’s capacity to provide synchronous and asynchronous distance learning.
The project will serve Albany State (ASU) students as well as the surrounding anchor community and the regional economy as it recovers from the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes many students from the city of Albany, Georgia, the city outskirts, and the rural landscape of Dougherty County, where one in four residents lack access to broadband internet in their homes.
The recipient does not intend to subaward funds.
The applicant does not fund a consortium. The applicant’s activities do occur in the surrounding anchor communities. Details of community involvement are described below.