Eight historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have received $15 million in funding by the Thermo Fisher Scientific to expand and establish on-campus COVID-19 testing facilities, as reported by The Tennessean.
Howard University College of MedicineThis funding and expansion are part of The Just Project, which seeks to address the COVID-19 pandemic in communities of color — especially since they are disproportionately affected by the virus.
In fact, Black Americans have experienced the highest COVID-19 mortality rate (97.9 deaths per 100,000) in the country, more than twice the mortality rate for white Americans, according to analysis by APM Research Lab.
As of Oct. 5, donations were given to Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Xavier University of Louisiana, Hampton University, Tuskegee University, Florida A&M University, and North Carolina A&T University. More colleges are expected to receive donations as well.
“Our first priority is to ensure a safe and healthy environment on our campuses,” said Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, president and dean of Morehouse School of Medicine, in a statement. “The support we receive from Thermo Fisher Scientific through The Just Project allows us to offer easy access to COVID-19 testing that is so important to getting our students back to school safely.”
