HUD AWARDS GRANT TO UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA A&M TO PREPARE LOW-INCOME GRADUATE STUDENTS FOR CAREERS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Grant is Among Nearly $3 Million Awarded Nationwide

BIRMINGHAM - Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez today announced that HUD will award $150,000 to Alabama A&M University to help graduate students prepare for careers in community planning and development.

The grant to Alabama A&M is part of some $3 million in grants HUD announced today to 19 universities around the country to benefit low-income and minority graduate students as they work toward their degrees and gain practical experience in their career field.

The Community Development Work Study Program grants will supplement approximately 95 students' tuition, travel and books during the next two years.

"Today's students will become tomorrow's greatest resource for revitalizing our nation's communities," said Martinez. "The Bush Administration is committed to creating a new generation of leaders who will work to strengthen our neighborhoods and communities."

Colleges and universities use the grants to offer financial aid and work experience to students enrolled in full-time graduate programs in community development or closely related fields such as urban planning, public policy or public administration.

Schools select the students who will benefit from the work-study funding as well as secure work assignments and monitor student performance. Grants are being awarded to schools in Alabama, California, District of Columbia,
Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Vermont and Washington.

The awards are made by HUD's Office of University Partnerships, which reaches out to colleges and universities in a number of ways to help use public resources to engage institutions of higher education in programs of community planning and development. For more information about the work study program.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing minority homeownership, creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's
fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet.

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Project Name: Alabama A&M University
Grant Amount: $150,000
Address: Research & Development
              Huntsville, AL 35762

The Alabama A&M University Community Development Work Study Program (CDWSP) will prepare a cadre of well-trained professionals to work toward the development of strong viable communities. The skills of those who address the problems and opportunities in human settlements must be strengthened through education and training. With support from the CDWSP, Alabama A&M University, through the Department of Community Planning and Urban
Studies' Master of Urban and Regional Planning Program (MURP), will train qualified minority and/or economically disadvantaged graduate students for careers which contribute toward community building. The MURP degree is nationally accredited through the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB).

Agencies where students will be placed will be those involved in the planning and implementation of activities encompassed in community building. Such agencies include: City of Huntsville Community Development Office; City
of Huntsville Planning Department; the City of Madison Planning and Development Office; County Commissioner's
Office (District 6); the Huntsville Housing and Development Authority; City of Madison Community Development
Office; Regional Council of Governments; Alabama A&M University Community Development Corporation; and Northwest Decatur Community Development Corporation.

2003 Community Development Work Study Program recipients.