Latest news with #FiskUniversity
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA pumps millions into TN's economy. Trump's cuts pose an existential threat
The passing of the U.S. FY 2026 budget, presented by President Donald Trump on May 2, 2025, will put an end to all STEM programs supported by NASA. This will cause a historic 39% reduction to space science programs and a 53% reduction to earth science programs. And it will dramatically impact Tennessee. NASA STEM programs are currently in use at the Adventure Science Center, where camps and exhibits incorporate STEM concepts. A full-size model of the Mars Curiosity Rover, on loan from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is on display. Meharry Medical College and Fisk University, with NASA support, offer a program that introduces students to computer science, robotics and engineering concepts. Opinion: Students' math proficiency is falling. Here are some solutions to the problem. The Tennessee Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) collaborates with NASA on the Aerospace Academy. All of these programs and initiatives may end. Vanderbilt University's Earth observation satellite mission, which includes ice-cloud radiometry and atmospheric sensing (TROPICS), faces termination. The school's leadership in developing radiation-hardened integrated circuits for outer planetary missions, pioneering advanced atmospheric remote sensing, and advancing gravitational astrophysics will be curtailed with the loss of $8 million in NASA grants. The University of Tennessee also contributes significantly to planetary geology, astrobiology and the understanding of Mars's early crust. UT will lose NASA grants totaling $5 million. At the K-12 level, the Tennessee Space Grant Consortium supports STEM education and research aligning with NASA priorities. Jack Anderson Elementary in Hendersonville is a Tennessee STEM/STEAM Designated School with a STEM lab and outdoor classroom. Robertsville Middle School in Oak Ridge partnered with NASA to design, 3-D print, and launch a CubeSat named Ram-Sat into space, making them the first middle school in the country to achieve this. Opinion: School vouchers are not the answer. Here's how to make education better in TN. And both Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee State University have a partnership with NASA to promote STEM education in high schools. These crippling NASA budget cuts would devastate the scientific talent pipeline managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities through the NASA Postdoctoral Program that cultivates the next generation of scientific leaders. NASA distributes approximately 75% of its annual budget to private industry in the form of government contracts. These contracts can range from janitorial services to rocket design. Jacobs Technology in Tullahoma is the fifth largest recipient of NASA's contracts. SpaceX, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Lockheed-Martin are the only corporations that receive more than this Tennessee company. While investing $24.3 million in Tennessee, NASA helped generate $68 million through job creation. These jobs led to increased revenue for our state and local governments by stimulating economic activity and generating greater sales tax revenue. These contracts stimulate innovation, create new industries, and spin-off technologies that can be commercialized and adapted by businesses. For example, NASA software can aid in the interpretation of medical imaging and in the field of materials science. NASA has made profound educational, scientific and fiscal impacts in our state, with contributions stimulating improvements across industries, from computer chips to structural steel. But a 47% budget cut to NASA's Science Mission Directorate is an extinction-level event. Is this what we want for our children and their generations to come? Suzanne W. Zellem is a retired RN, MSN and former educator living in Hendersonville. She is the mother of two and grandmother to three. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Under Trump, STEM education may be going extinct | Opinion
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fisk University to End Gymnastics Program
Fisk University to End Gymnastics Program originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Fisk University announced it would be discontinuing its gymnastics program at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 school year. Their final season will be in Spring 2026. Advertisement The University made the decision due to their gymnastics program competing outside of their conference in the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC). This makes it hard for the school to keep up with the program. Challenges with scheduling opponents and recruiting also occurred. After only three seasons, Fisk University still managed to acquire a national champion in Morgan Price. She won the honor in 2024 and was able to defend her title this year to become the first ever HBCU gymnast to win consecutive championships. With the help of Price, Fisk gymnastics has made a name for itself and she helped put the program on the map. The champion not only made history as the first HBCU gymnast to win a title, but she also scored a perfect 10 on the uneven bars. Related: Fans in Disbelief over EA Sports' decision on HBCU's in College Football 26 This year, she also dominated once again to reclaim her national title. She had a score of 9.90 on the beam, 9.825 on the floor, and 39.950 for her final total. Athletic director, Valencia Jordan, said that she wishes all the athletes the best and that she was proud of how far the program has progressed in such a short amount of time. Advertisement Related: NCAA Sends Clear Message About Athlete Pay and Roster Limits This past season, Fisk won most of its competitions, facing off against schools like Rutgers and Wilberforce University. A short-lived yet successful for Fisk University Gymnastics could potentially put HBCU gymnastics on the grid. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Fisk University women's gymnastics team, the first at an HBCU, to stop competing after 2026
NASHVILLE — Fisk University's bold experiment in women's gymnastics is coming to an end. The school has announced it is shuttering the program at the end of the 2026 season. Fisk made history in 2023 when it became the first historically Black college or university to launch a women's artistic gymnastics team.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fisk University women's gymnastics team, the first at an HBCU, to stop competing after 2026
NASHVILLE (AP) — Fisk University's bold experiment in women's gymnastics is coming to an end. The school has announced it is shuttering the program at the end of the 2026 season. Fisk made history in 2023 when it became the first historically Black college or university to launch a women's artistic gymnastics team. Advertisement Fisk's ambitious move to start the program played a hand three years later in the athletic department choosing to discontinue it. Scheduling became challenging because gymnastics is the only sport at Fisk that does not compete against other HBCU schools, forcing the program to get creative and requiring the team to travel longer distances than the university's other sports. 'While we are tremendously proud of the history our gymnastics team has made in just three years, we look forward to focusing on our conference-affiliated teams to strengthen our impact in the HBCU Athletic Conference,' athletic director Valencia Jordan said in a statement. 'Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.' The school said it will work with the affected athletes and coaches to ensure a 'seamless transition.' The announcement came just weeks after Fisk standout Morgan Price — a three-time All-American who became the first HBCU gymnast to record a perfect 10 — transferred to Arkansas, where she will join her older sister Frankie. Talladega College, an HBCU in Alabama, attempted to follow in Fisk's footsteps in 2024. That program shut down after one season due to financial concerns. ___ AP sports:
Associated Press
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Fisk University women's gymnastics team, the first at an HBCU, to stop competing after 2026
NASHVILLE (AP) — Fisk University's bold experiment in women's gymnastics is coming to an end. The school has announced it is shuttering the program at the end of the 2026 season. Fisk made history in 2023 when it became the first historically Black college or university to launch a women's artistic gymnastics team. Fisk's ambitious move to start the program played a hand three years later in the athletic department choosing to discontinue it. Scheduling became challenging because gymnastics is the only sport at Fisk that does not compete against other HBCU schools, forcing the program to get creative and requiring the team to travel longer distances than the university's other sports. 'While we are tremendously proud of the history our gymnastics team has made in just three years, we look forward to focusing on our conference-affiliated teams to strengthen our impact in the HBCU Athletic Conference,' athletic director Valencia Jordan said in a statement. 'Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.' The school said it will work with the affected athletes and coaches to ensure a 'seamless transition.' The announcement came just weeks after Fisk standout Morgan Price — a three-time All-American who became the first HBCU gymnast to record a perfect 10 — transferred to Arkansas, where she will join her older sister Frankie. Talladega College, an HBCU in Alabama, attempted to follow in Fisk's footsteps in 2024. That program shut down after one season due to financial concerns. ___ AP sports:
