New Grants at ESU
Recent Grants
Cybersecurity Center
Leticia Rust, Director-Cybersecurity Center
National Institute of Standards and Technology; 10/01/2022 to 09/30/2023, one year funding of $1,500,000 with additional support from the State, in the amount of $1,100,000, annually in the coming years expected.
The Cybersecurity Center is Emporia State University's Cybersecurity Center Project: Creating a Strong Foundation for Cyber Protection
By establishing this center, the Emporia State University School of Business and Technology seeks to position itself as a trusted hub for cybersecurity knowledge and protocols. In the inaugural year, the project envisions several key outcomes, including an increase in students holding recognized cybersecurity credentials, the launch of engaging cybersecurity competitions, impactful community outreach initiatives, enhanced certifications for faculty and staff, and the facilitation of valuable faculty-student research collaborations culminating in publications or presentations.
Situated within the Emporia State University campus, the Cybersecurity Center's hardware and software will find their home within the School of Business, housed in a dedicated "hacker lab." This space will undergo renovation to maximize its proximity to a nearby classroom. The center's activities will extend both on and off campus. It will supplement existing programs, like degrees in Computer Science, Information Systems, and Business Data Analytics, while also offering opportunities for students to attain industry-recognized degrees and certifications. The overarching objective is to establish comprehensive cybersecurity knowledge systems that cater to diverse sections of the Emporia community, including middle and high school students exploring tech avenues, university students pursuing tech majors, local businesses benefiting from a skilled talent pool, and smaller entities lacking resources to safeguard their digital assets.
The project's focal point revolves around meaningful community engagement. Various initiatives have been outlined, including cybersecurity competitions tailored for high school and university students, enlightening seminars for Kansas residents, the establishment of a "Cybersecurity Day" in Emporia, targeted training and certifications for faculty and staff, and collaborative research endeavors uniting faculty and students.
To learn more about the Cybersecurity Center, please visit this link.
TRIO Programs
Julie Cayton, Director-TRIO Talent Search/Upward Bound
TRIO Upward Bound – U.S. Department of Education; 09/01/2022 to 08/31/2027, TRIO will receive $297,602 every year, for a total of over $1,488,010.
Upward Bound has been helping college students from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in and finish college at ESU since 1984. Upward Bound is one of the Department of Education’s TRIO programs providing services such as tutoring, mentoring, and financial advising to low-income, first-generation college students from their matriculation to graduation.
The TRIO Upward Bound (UB) project is a dynamic initiative set to engage 60 eligible participants, prioritizing at least two-thirds who embody the potential of being first-generation college students meeting federal low-income criteria. Additional participants include first-generation, low-income individuals, and those at risk of academic setbacks who require specialized academic support.
Focusing its efforts on the Lyon County area in east central Kansas, the project hones in on Emporia High School and Northern Heights as its target schools. All services provided are meticulously aligned with standardized objectives, ensuring that the project consistently fosters positive student outcomes. The project's comprehensive approach propels students toward high school graduation and successful entry into postsecondary education.
The program presents an array of services and enrichment activities, fostering learning and motivation in participants. From academic tutoring, both group-based and personalized, to empowering Saturday Enrichment workshops encompassing diverse themes such as college readiness, financial literacy, career exploration, and multicultural adaptability. Notably, a six-week Summer Institute is offered to participants and includes a core curriculum of math, laboratory sciences, composition/literature and foreign language as well as a cultural/educational trip that is tied to the summer’s curriculum.
With an unwavering commitment to adaptability, the TRIO Upward Bound project remains in a constant state of evaluation. This practice ensures a fine-tuned responsiveness to participants' evolving needs and a measurable understanding of the efficacy of its services.
In summary, the TRIO Upward Bound project is a force for academic advancement, enriching the lives of its participants and cultivating a pathway toward a brighter educational future.
To learn more about the Student Support Services program at ESU, please visit this site.
Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center – PAROC
Daphne Mayes -ESU Outreach Council Chair + STEM Outreach Director
Emporia Human Relations Commission; Tentative project duration- Fall 2023 through Fall 2024, PAROC received $215,250 which is about 80% of the project cost of $270,250 and ESU is matching $55,000 which is about 25.5%.
There are numerous tangible benefits that natural areas and green spaces provide to human health, ranging from stress reduction to enhanced overall health. The Dale Greiner Nature Trail at Emporia State University (ESU) is a unique trail on campus and immediately north of Interstate 35, open to the campus and public. This nature trail provides a ~1.1-mile hike through the Campus Woods along the Neosho River. A portion of this gravel trail (approximately 0.5 miles) is adjacent to a 6-acre turfgrass field where a tallgrass prairie is under reconstruction. In addition to the prairie project, a 0.25-mile riparian zone will be undergoing restoration to help stabilize the erosion of the streambanks. Both restoration efforts will include ongoing community outreach and participation.
The updated and paved trail will provide a fully accessible hike through the prairie from the east side of the trailhead across the road from the Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center (PAROC), through the prairie loop, to the west trailhead. The new trail would include a connected paved trail with two routes that could be constructed in separate phases depending on funding capacity. The first route (Prairie trail, phase 1) would be 1,963 feet x 8 ft wide and take users through a portion of the prairie and along the riparian area, beginning and ending at each trailhead. The second route (Prairie trail, phase 2) will be 1,406 feet x 8 feet wide and include a loop that connects to the first path and takes users through the prairie with connections to the picnic area, campus woods trails system, and a viewing area of the Neosho River. In addition to the trail construction, we would include educational signage displays that describe the prairie ecosystem aboveground, the prairie-soil ecosystem belowground, and the connections between the land and water. We would provide these displays in English and Spanish and include QR codes to link users to an audio reading of the content in multiple languages.
As wonderful as this space is today, the additions and improvements that the university is pursuing are much needed. The current trail will be moved back from the river's edge, allowing for better waterway management. A paved trail through the reclaimed native grass section will enhance accessibility for all user groups, and the inclusion of educational signage throughout this space will increase people's connection and awareness of natural areas. Visitors often look for open spaces and trails to enhance their community experience. This project will undoubtedly significantly impact on our youth's educational opportunities, providing a positive quality of life addition for local residents and improving the experience of our visitors.
To learn more about the PAROC at ESU, please visit this link.