The Department of Defense (DoD) made the announcement that it will be awarding grants totaling $53 million as part of a long-term strategy to safeguard the nation's future defense capabilities and foster civic engagement.
According to the paper, released on September 27, the National Defense Education Act will provide financial support to thirteen different educational institutions.
For instance, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering of the Department of Defense, Heidi Shyu, was quoted as saying that "In an era of global competition, the United States needs its next generation to be civic-minded, technically proficient, and eager to tackle the challenges of the 21st century." The significance of these grants is brought up by the aforementioned quotation. She went on to say that "These awards are investments in our national talent base, and they are geared towards ensuring that our nation is able to maintain its ability to maintain its military, economic, and technological edge."
The Manufacturing Engineering Education Program (MEEP) and STEM Scholarships are two of the most essential programs that will benefit from the awards, and both of these programs will get funding from the awards. Monroe Community College, Arizona State University, Spark Photonics Foundation, Inc., and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University are just few of the institutions that have been awarded funding to help improve the abilities of workers in the manufacturing industry.
Scholarships in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics will be awarded to educational organizations such as Kansas State University and the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. These scholarships are intended for students who are interested in pursuing careers in these fields.
In addition, universities such as Johns Hopkins University, Indiana University, and Harvard College have received funds to support programs that promote civics education and, as a result, raise civic consciousness. These programs are funded to improve civics education.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 mandates the distribution of funding to promote enhanced civics education. This will enable young people to better comprehend the United States Government and their obligations as citizens. Additionally, cash will be allocated to promote improved civics education.
