UConn gets grants to aid graduate students

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Joe Courtney announced Friday that the U•iversity of Connecticut secured five grants from the U.S. Department of Education totaling $710,752 per year for three years to provide direct fellowship aid to graduate students pursuing degrees in areas of national need.

The funding was awarded through the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program, and will allow 21 graduate students at UConn with excellent academic records and demonstrated financial need to receive financial assistance as they pursue degrees in nursing, education and engineering.

"This competitive grant funding provides a pathway to good jobs and a stronger middle class for students who otherwise face considerable new debt in their pursuit of higher education," Courtney said in a statement. "Studies and statistics confirm that, even in a tough economy, additional education translates into increased opportunities for workers. With this funding, UConn will continue to educate the leaders of tomorrow in critical areas like nursing and engineering that will fuel our economic growth for decades to come."