MSU receives $4.3 million to support innovations in education

Mississippi State University is using $4.3 million allocated by the Governor’s Emergency Education Response (GEER) Fund program to implement innovative education solutions throughout Mississippi.

The 15 projects funded through GEER address several educational needs that have emerged during the pandemic, such as improving online learning in K-12 and higher education, providing virtual mental health services, and supporting at-risk students such as those with autism and dyslexia. Additionally, funding will be used to expand a program providing support to MSU students nearing graduation in need of financial assistance to earn their degree.

The GEER program is funded by federal COVID-19 relief legislation and administered by governors in each state. MSU’S funded projects are part of Gov. Tate Reeves’ second round of administering the fund.

“The proposals funded will not only support MSU students, but provide meaningful resources for our state’s K-12 students and teachers,” said MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan. “We pride ourselves on leveraging our expertise to work with partners across Mississippi to make an impact. Throughout the pandemic, our faculty and staff have continued to do just that. I appreciate Gov. Reeves’ support for these important projects.”

Msu-led projects funded by this round of GEER allocations include:

• Student Financial Aid ($861,637.50) — Funding for the Maroon Completion Grant;

• Research and Curriculum Unit ($850,413.88) —Provide or implement high-quality training for students, parents and/or educators to support effective online learning;

• Research and Curriculum Unit ($681,724.72) — Leveraging K-12 student access to devices provided through Mississippi Connects to implement innovative practices made possible by expanded access to technology, and address learning loss created or exacerbated by the pandemic;

• Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education ($368,167.44) — Expand awareness of and access to best practices and innovations in online learning in order to increase the current and future use of such practices;

• Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic ($316,540.72) — Provide focused social and emotional learning support services for at-risk groups, such as those students diagnosed with developmental delays including autism and dyslexia.

• Student Support Services ($259,625.84) — Supporting and implementing online learning in the ACCESS program;

• T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability ($242,204.95) — Funding for Ignite Reading: Individualized Reading Interventions;

• Department of Psychology ($217,906.60) — Improving Mississippi mental health care through telehealth;

• Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion ($174,411.30) — Mental health gatekeeper training;

• Meridian Division of Education ($143,546.45) — Provide or implement high-quality training for students, parents and/or educators to support effective online learning;

• Department of Classical and Modern Languages ($105,601.05) —Support for online language teaching;

• Department of English ($34,285.24) — Professional development for teachers working with emergent bilinguals;

• MSU Libraries ($28,931.70) — Using MAGNOLIA resources to enhance remote learning;

• MSU Writing and Thinking Institute ($23,335.72) — Provide or implement high-quality training for students, parents and/or educators to support effective online learning; and

• Student Counseling Services ($9,660.00) — Provide telehealth and teletherapy services to address student mental health issues at all levels of education, including providing a platform or application through which professionals may provide telehealth or teletherapy services.