Claflin University Receives $440,000 From U.S. Department of Education’s Project SERV Grant

Claflin University was awarded $440,000 from the U.S. Department of Education through the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) grant. Claflin was one of four Historically Black Colleges/Universities disrupted by bomb threats last fall that received funding from the grant.

“The bomb threats last year that targeted several Historically Black Colleges and Universities traumatized their campus communities, disrupted learning, and drained resources by prompting costly campus lockdowns, class cancellations, and law enforcement activities,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The Biden-Harris administration will always stand by HBCUs and unequivocally condemn racist efforts to terrorize Black students and educators and deprive them of their right to safe, welcoming, and nurturing environments for teaching and learning. The Project SERV grants announced today will help four HBCUs directly impacted by these bomb threats to better serve students, faculty, and staff by increasing access to mental health and wellness services and improving other vital supports.”

Project SERV provides short-term funding for local educational agencies and institutions of higher education that have experienced a violent or traumatic incident to assist in restoring a safe environment conducive to learning. The Department expects additional grants to be awarded in the coming weeks. It continues to work with additional impacted HBCUs to support them in the grant application process and expedite the processing of applications once received.

“The U.S. Department of Education under Secretary Miguel Cardona has displayed exceptional compassion and foresight by establishing the Project SERV grants,” said Claflin President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack. “These bomb threats are alarming and impact every aspect of the campus community. These funds will help us enhance campus security and expand resources critical to the psychological and emotional well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. We greatly appreciate the continued support the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Cardona have provided HBCUs.”

Claflin University will use its Project SERV funds to hire a licensed clinical social worker and support training focused on stress reduction; provide workshops on identifying signs of distress in students and coworkers; and other programs to address stress, anxiety, and campus safety.

“These funds are critically important to the safety, security, and well-being of our institutions,” said Dietra Trent, Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. “HBCU students consider their campuses as a sacred refuge and home away from home, and it is imperative that we provide them with these resources ensuring that they not only feel safe but are safe. It is also incumbent upon us to ensure that the faculty and staff dedicated to educating the next generation of leaders can do so with peace of mind. Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has been committed to strengthening the HBCU community, and the investments these institutions make using the Project SERV funds is another example of the strength of that commitment.”

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to take a whole-of-government approach to support HBCU campuses. For example, to date, the Department of Education has delivered nearly $7 billion in cumulative investments to HBCUs, including: 

• $3.7 billion through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief;
• $1.6 billion in capital finance debt relief;
• $1.6 billion in capital finance debt relief;
• $2.45 million in Project SERV funds; and
• $1.5 billion in grant funding to help HBCUs and other MSIs expand capacity.