NASA seeks plans for education agreement

NASA says it is seeking proposals for a cooperative agreement notice, "Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology, or the MUST project.

Officials say they are inviting proposals from minority serving institutions, which include historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities and non-profit organizations that serve underrepresented students.

The MUST project is focused on engaging students from underserved and underrepresented groups to enter science and technology academic programs and, later, the science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce.

The program will offer one-year competitive scholarships to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and transfer students to provide up to half of tuition and fees, not to exceed $10,000 per academic year. It also provides a stipend to participate in an internship.

The project will assist participants in establishing mentoring relationships and provide tutoring to help support the student's academic program, officials said.

NASA expects to award one cooperative agreement under the notice, with a maximum annual value to an individual minority serving institution or non-profit organization of $1.75 million, with a total possible performance period of three years.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International