The University of Iowa College of Education’s Belin Blank Center has received a $500,000 grant to expand a STEM program.

The grant was presented through the Talent Development Award from the Jack Kent Cooke, which is the nation’s largest scholarship foundation.

The funds go to expanding the center’s STEM Excellence and Literacy program.

Over the next three years, the grant will be used to help 330 high-ability, low-income middle-school students living in rural, low-resource school districts in Iowa.

The students will participate in a rigorous after-school math and science enrichment program.

— by Rebecca Morin