WMU ends year with $23.5 million in grants, starts year with $1.2 million

Contact: Mark Schwerin

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University closed the 2015-16 fiscal year with just over $23.5 million in grants, WMU trustees learned at their Sept. 7 meeting.

Grants for June topped $2.4 million, pushing the grant total for the year past the $23.5 million mark. The University's fiscal year ends June 30.

Trustees also learned that grants are off to a brisk start for the 2016-17 fiscal year, with the total for July nearing $1.2 million.

June grants

Grants for public service led the way for June, coming in at more than $1.3 million. The top public service grant was a nearly $700,000 award from Kalamazoo Community Mental Health Services to Dr. Carol Sundberg, director for the Center for Disability Services. The grant will provide daily living, communication, behavior control and social skill services to developmentally disabled adults.

June grants for research totaled $834,706. Two grants from various industries addded up to nearly $600,000 and were awarded to Shawn Mortimore, assistant manager of WMU Pilot Plants. The grants will be used to conduct research and provide testing services in specialized areas of paper science engineering in association with industry.

Grants for instruction during June soared past $200,000, while grants for academic support initiatives came in at $53,7000 and rounded out grants for the month.

July grants

July grants were led by awards for student services, which climbed to $421,556 and were led by a $419,200 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to Diana Hernandez, director of Multicultural Affairs. The grant will be used to offer a College Assistance Migrant Program to 40 participants annually, providing outreach and recruitment services, comprehensive academic and student support services and follow-up services for students to continue in postsecondary education. July research grants soared to $412,279 and were led by a $178,384 award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Dr. Tiffany Parker and Denise Brown in the Department of Physician Assistant and Dr. Stephen Craig in the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology. The grant will be used to provide students with SBIRT—screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment—training to identify and treat people with unhealthy alcohol and other drug use.

July grants for instruction hit $263,320, while grants for public service came in at $98,424.