Nissan is donating $250,000 to Mississippi’s seven HBCUs to further STEM education, continuing its 11th consecutive year of funding Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the state. Since launching the Mississippi HBCU STEM Initiative in 2014, Nissan has invested $2.75 million to support and encourage innovative programming that serves Mississippi students, helping to grow STEM awareness and the technology workforce of the future.
āIām particularly proud as an alumnus of Alcorn State University for Nissan to contribute to the future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at Mississippi HBCUs, creating the next generation of workforce leaders,ā said Victor Taylor, vice president, Manufacturing, Nissan Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant. āNissanās Canton facility counts dozens of Mississippi HBCU graduates among its leadership and staff. In continuing this investment, we are helping to prepare students for their future career in industries like automotive, creating a growing talent pool for this community.ā
The seven HBCUs receiving a Nissan donation are Alcorn State University, Coahoma Community College, Hinds Community College – Utica Campus, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Rust College and Tougaloo College. Among the funded projects are:
- Coahoma Community CollegeĀ CsTEm Camp, which introduces high school students to vast vocational careers in STEM through interactive demonstrations, workshops, training and activities.
- Jackson State UniversityĀ STEM Student Support and Engagement Initiatives, which focuses on student engagement through senior design projects as well as robotics competitions and laboratory resources for engineering and technology coursework.
- Mississippi Valley State UniversityĀ Program Innovates: Where Technology Meets Purpose, which strengthens STEM programming through graduate job readiness, enhanced student learning via technology upgrades, and internship placement.
The same principles taught in STEM programs – like advanced manufacturing, computer-aided design, and materials science – are essential to building cutting-edge vehicles at Nissan’s Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant. The NissanĀ FrontierĀ andĀ AltimaĀ are built with precision and innovation, qualities fostered through STEM education.
Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant
For two decades, employees at Nissan Canton have assembled high-quality, award-winning vehicles. The plant’s opening in 2003 brought automotive manufacturing to Mississippi for the first time and has since contributed to the state’s economic development. Building on that rich history, Nissan Canton is undergoing a transformation to become a center of U.S. EV manufacturing that will bring all-new, all-electric models to the U.S. market. Nissan Canton has become a central institution in Mississippi, creating more than 25,000 jobs statewide, contributing more than $20 million to local nonprofit organizations and logging more than 12,000 volunteer hours to help build stronger communities. The plant employs more than 5,000 people and currently produces the Nissan Altima and Frontier.