BALTIMORE – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) today announced that Morgan State University has been awarded $17,500 in federal grant funding to prepare students for transportation jobs. Federal funding is supported through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program (DDETFP). Morgan State University will use this grant funding to provide fellowships toward the pursuit of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in transportation related disciplines.
“Morgan State has a long track record of graduating innovators and leaders,” Senator Cardin said. “This partnership between Morgan State and the Department of Transportation will help ensure that our nation is prepared to address the transportation challenges of the future. Investing in transportation infrastructure helps grow our economy and I am proud that the drivers of that growth will be Morgan State alumni.”
“Investments that help our young people acquire the skills, training and education they need to succeed are investments in our future,” said Senator Mikulski, Vice Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee that funds DOT. “These funds in the federal checkbook will help Maryland students get the know-how they need to build and maintain our transportation infrastructure. Morgan State University of Maryland, one of the nation’s great historically black colleges and universities, is leading the way in preparing students today for the high demand jobs of tomorrow.”
Senators Cardin and Mikulski have made it a top priority to support Maryland’s world-class university system in developing a highly-skilled workforce to support jobs, jobs, jobs. The Senators championed the passage of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) transportation legislation, which authorizes the DDETFP transportation studies grants.
According to DOT, the DDETFP seeks to attract the nation’s brightest minds to the field of transportation, to enhance the careers of transportation professionals by encouraging them to seek advanced degrees, and to retain top talent in the transportation industry of the United States. This federal grant funding will support fellowship awards to students and transportation professionals pursuing transportation related disciplines.
The DDETFP competitively awards fellowships to students who are pursuing transportation-related degrees. Students are awarded at the associate through the advanced academic and professional degree level. More information on the program is available here: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpp/ddetfp.htm
Founded in 1867, Morgan State is among the oldest historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) offering both undergraduate and graduate programs of study. Each year, Morgan State awards more than 50 percent of all undergraduate degrees earned by African Americans in Maryland and is among the top five universities nationally in the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to African Americans yearly.
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