Sonja Alexander Headquarters, Washington, DC May 2, 2001 (Phone: 202/358-1761) Media Advisory NASA AWARDS EDUCATION GRANTS The NASA Office of Equal Opportunity Programs has competitively selected 5 minority institutions for award of education grants totaling $2,875,000. These awards will be made under the Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) program. SEMAA exposes historically underrepresented youth to activities in the fields of science, engineering and mathematics with the intent of increasing the number of these students enrolling in technology-related majors in college. SEMAA activities provide support by offering science and mathematics enrichment programs to encourage student interest and success in science, mathematics, engineering and technology. Each institution will receive an Aeronautics Education Laboratory (AEL) with the exception of Medgar Evers College who already has an AEL. Each selected institutions will receive up to $125,000 per year for a maximum of 3 years based on performance and availability of funds under the program. The five institutions selected to receive SEMAA awards are: * Medgar Evers College , City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY * New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM * University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD * Windward Community College, Kaneohe, HI * Winston-Salem State University , Winston-Salem, NC -end-