by Sharelle Burt
May 16, 2024
The grant from Ripple will help students participate in financial technology research, education, and programming.
Baltimore’s Morgan State University will continue to provide support for its financial technology (FinTech) research, education and programming thanks to a $1 million grant from blockchain and crypto solutions leader, Ripple.
The HBCU (Historically Black College and/or University), located in Baltimore, made the announcement on May 14 as one of three receipts of a three-year, $1,050,000 grant. The funds will be used as a growth platform for the school’s National FinTech Center.
“This generous $1,050,000 grant is not just an investment; it’s a catalyst that propels our ability to innovate, collaborate, and prepare our students to be at the forefront of the FinTech revolution,” said Ali Emdad, Ph.D., interim dean of the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management and founding director of the National Center for the Study of Blockchain and FinTech.
“The ongoing partnership with Ripple stands as a beacon, illuminating the path toward a transformative educational experience that aligns with the evolving landscape of the global economy,” Emdad added.
Morgan’s partnership with Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI) started in 2019. The initiative has played a vital role in the expansion of blockchain, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, and other FinTech areas through a network of HBCUs.
The program has provided opportunities in educational research as well as a rich learning atmosphere. Ripple’s senior director of university partnerships, Lauren Weymouth, said the company is committed to “evolving technologies through philanthropic efforts, research endeavors, and shared expertise in renewing its partnership with Morgan.”
“Ripple’s commitment to working closely with universities like Morgan State and its broad network of HBCUs is rooted in our vision that blockchain technology is a force for good,” Weymouth said. “As crypto and blockchain integrate further into our daily lives, these university partnerships become absolutely essential—we’re empowering the next generation with the tools they need to shape our financial future.”
With Ripple’s partnership, the FinTech Center can continue focusing on using groundbreaking technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrency in order to break through the finance and technology sectors, according to the Daily Record. In the years to come, Morgan will be able to increase research and educational opportunities.
The grant will also assist with ecosystem development and operational support.
The center has been open on Morgan State’s campus since 2018, thanks to a rise in student interest in crypto-economics and blockchain. Looked at as a hub, the center is constantly engaging with students and faculty to find ways to increase innovation, the transfer of knowledge, and leadership skills.
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