TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — This week, the U.S. Department of Education awarded five Florida public universities with over $12.5 million in new grants through the American History and Civics Seminars Program. These grants signify the State University System of Florida’s (SUS) commitment to civic literacy initiatives leading up to America’s 250th anniversary. Florida International University, University of West Florida, University of North Florida, Florida State University, and New College of Florida were awarded grants in support of programs that promote innovative instruction, learning strategies, and professional development in American history, civics and government, and geography.
“In Florida, we are proud to honor America’s legacy and develop informed and engaged citizens at our institutions,” said SUS Associate Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs Tony Lee. “Through our universities’ Office of Public Policy Events established by the Florida Legislature two years ago, and now with this grant funding, we are strengthening civic knowledge and preparing the next generation of leaders.”
“Florida is a national leader in advancing civic principles and providing opportunities for students to participate in open discussions on public policy,” said SUS Chancellor Ray Rodrigues. “I applaud our universities for the forward-thinking and innovative programs that earned these grant awards. As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, now is the time to continue advancing civic literacy, and these funds support that SUS goal.”
The grant allocation to the five SUS universities is listed below:
- $4.6M to Florida State University
- $2.8M to Florida International University
- $2.1M to University of North Florida
- $1.7M to New College of Florida
- $1.5M to University of West Florida
The full list of allocations is available here. More information about Florida’s celebration of America’s semiquincentennial anniversary is available here.
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About the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors
The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The System has 12 universities and more than 430,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Florida has held the top spot in U.S. News & World Report for higher education since the inception of the rankings in 2017. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the System’s coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the System’s chief executive. For more information, visit flbog.edu or follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.