MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Award purpose

PROJECT PURPOSE:MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY'S CONNECTING MINORITY COMMUNITIES PROJECT AIMS TO DELIVER NOVEL AND TIMELY SERVICES TO BOTH STUDENTS AND LOCAL HYPER-DISPARITY COMMUNITIES. THE SERIES OF PROJECTS OUTLINED IN THIS PROPOSAL HAVE BEEN CREATED TO REDUCE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AMONGST MORGAN STATE STUDENTS AND THE LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES THE UNIVERSITY HAS SELECTED TO SERVE. ACTIVITIES:THE PROJECT WILL DELIVER LAPTOPS AND COVER THE COSTS OF A BROADBAND SUBSCRIPTION TO STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE UNIVERSITY WILL ALSO ENHANCE THE WI-FI INFRASTRUCTURE BY UPGRADING AREAS ON CAMPUS THAT ARE OFTEN USED BY STUDENTS. THE UNIVERSITY AND SEVERAL PROJECT PARTNERS WILL ALSO ENGAGE LOW-INCOME ANCHOR COMMUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC HEALTH SEMINARS AND ADOPTION OF TELEHEALTH SERVICES. AS THE UNIVERSITY LOOKS TO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE COMMUNITIES, THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING WILL AGAIN ENGAGE THE COMMUNITIES TO DELIVER PROGRAMMING RELATED TO THE SMART TINY HOME MOVEMENT. MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, WITH ITS DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR NEW CENTER FOR SMART TINY HOMES, HOPES TO PASS ON SOME OF ITS LEARNINGS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PERFORMING INTENSE INSIGHTS AND DISCOVERY ROUTINES WITH THE LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS OF BALTIMORE.OUTCOMES:THIS PROJECT WILL ELIMINATE HYPER-DISPARITIES IN THE COMMUNITY BY ENGAGING STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN DIGITAL ACCESS AND DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING. MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WILL ENABLE ACCESS TO DIGITAL DEVICES, BROADBAND ACCESS AND THE NECESSARY TRAINING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO INFORMATION, EDUCATION, HEALTH SERVICES, AND OTHER VITAL RESOURCES THAT WILL IMPROVE THE LIVES OF STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE OPTIMUM OUTCOMES WILL BE TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO PRACTICE THEIR SKILLS OF COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP, ENGAGEMENT, EMPATHY, CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND SOCIAL IMPACT THROUGH THEIR APPLICABLE SCHOOLS TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE BALTIMORE COMMUNITY.BENEFICIARIES: THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND THE SURROUNDING ANCHOR COMMUNITIES OF TURNER STATION, PEN LUCY, AND WILSON PARK IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. THE STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE WI-FI INFRASTRUCTURE ON CAMPUS AND WILL HAVE ACCESS TO LOANER LAPTOPS. THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WILL BENEFIT FROM THE LAPTOP PROGRAM, SMART TINY HOME PROGRAMMING, AND THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH THE HELP OF DIGITAL-SOCIAL NAVIGATORS.SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES (IF APPLICABLE): THE NATIONAL FORUM OF BLACK PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS (NFBPA) WILL AID IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CONDUCT PROGRAM EVALUATIONS. BALTIMORE COUNTY WILL CONDUCT A WELL-BEING NEEDS ASSESSMENT. THE ENOCH PRATT LIBRARY SYSTEM WILL CONDUCT DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING. NPOWER WILL WORK WITH MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY TO TRAIN STUDENTS IN CYBERSECURITY AND TECH FUNDAMENTALS WITH PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION.