By Briana Harris-Wilson
Alabama State University (ASU) has been awarded a $2 million grant from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), a non-profit organization that supports students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by providing scholarships, leadership development and career-readiness programs.
Receiving the non-profit organization's Project HBCU Capacity-building mini-grant positions ASU among only eight HBCUs selected from a competitive pool of 32 applicants.
The funding will support ASU’s Momentum Initiative: Pathways, Pedagogy, and Progress, a comprehensive strategic framework designed to elevate student success, faculty development and institutional research capacity.
Dr. Harry Williams, TMCF President and CEO, stated in a letter to ASU President Dr. Quinton T. Ross Jr. that ASU’s proposal “stood out for its vision, innovation and alignment with our (TMCF’s) mission to strengthen and expand the impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.”
This investment reflects the progress achieved under the leadership of ASU President Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., and directly supports ASU’s FOCUS 2030 Strategic Plan, which prioritizes academic excellence, continuous growth, and student-centered outcomes.
The grant will fund three major projects over a two-year period beginning in November 2025. The first project, developed by Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Ronda Westry is known as Hornet P.A.T.H.W.A.Y.—an acronym for Progress, Achievement, Tenacity, Holistic Growth, Workforce Readiness, Academic Excellence and Year-Round Support. It aims to strengthen the student pipeline by improving enrollment yield, increasing credit-hour completion rates among first-year students, and launching residential, career-focused learning communities for 200 sophomores.
The second project, the Faculty Institute in Teaching and Innovation (FITI), developed by Provost Dr. Carl Pettis and Associate Provost Dr. Kennedy Wekesa, will advance inclusive pedagogy and teaching innovation through professional development, increased faculty recognition and support for creative instructional practices. The initiative will also offer mini grants to faculty members pursuing new approaches to student engagement.
The third initiative, led by Dr. Tanjula Petty, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Initiatives and Transformation, focuses on strengthening ASU’s research infrastructure in pursuit of a Carnegie R2 classification, issued by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
The R2 classification signifies that an institution spends at least $5 million on research and development and awards at least 20 research doctorates in a single year. Petty said this effort includes the addition of two doctoral programs and the awarding of at least 20 research doctorates over the two-year grant period.
“This generous investment from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund is a powerful affirmation of the transformative work happening at Alabama State University,” Westry said. “With the support of organizations like TMCF, we are accelerating ASU's mission to produce world-class scholars, innovative faculty, and groundbreaking research. This grant moves us closer to realizing the goals of Dr. Ross' FOCUS 2030 Strategic Plan and reaffirms ASU’s role as a national leader among HBCUs.”
In November, President Ross and the grant team will travel to Atlanta, Georgia to attend the inaugural Project HBCU Capacity Building Convening along with the other awarded institutions. During the convening, each institution will present its project, participate in collaborative cohort learning and receive important guidance on reporting, deliverables and funding disbursement.