Gifts totaling more than $1.1 million will support the School of Education's Institute for Urban Education (IUE).
The IUE Active Community Collaborations Enhancing Student Success (Project ACCESS) received a grant for $356,450 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to help future teachers gain understanding through being in the cultural, family and neighborhood settings of urban public school students.
The foundation, which was established in 1930, supports families, children and communities in creating an environment conducive for success.
"The Kellogg Foundation is among the nation's leaders in supporting effective education programs for disadvantaged youth, which makes this gift a wonderful affirmation of the quality of our School of Education and the IUE program," Chancellor Leo Morton said in a press release. "UMKC continues to meet the challenge to improve teacher training in urban classrooms in Greater Kansas City, and Project ACCESS will help students gain a pragmatic understanding of the students they will teach in the future."
Aquila, Inc., the Hugh J. Zimmer Family and the Sherman Family Foundation donated $200,000 each toward IUE scholarships.
The Bauermeister Family Foundation Scholarship Fund, FUNKY Fund/Because We Can Giving Circle of the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, J.E. Dunn Construction Company and KCP&L donated $160,000 each.
"The IUE is a nationally recognized model for urban teacher preparation, and the graduates will have undergone a rigorous program of study with an emphasis on math, science and literacy, which includes more than 1,400 hours of field experience working in urban schools," Ed Underwood, executive director of IUE, said.
Eight out of the 55 students currently enrolled in the program will graduate in May.
The university hopes to see 25 new students enroll in the program each year.
