USM receives $335K grant for School of Construction and Design

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - The University of Southern Mississippi School of Construction and Design has big plans in store after receiving one of the largest grants in school history.

The school received a $335,000 grant from the Mississippi State Board of Contractors to fund new projects geared toward helping students improve their entrepreneurial skills.

The school’s director says the grant also will allow faculty to create new courses, giving students the opportunity to reach a level previously unavailable to them at Southern Miss.

“I think this grant is a great example of the support we are getting from the construction industry,” said Dr. Emre Bayraktar. “This grant will give us the opportunity to provide a better educational experience for our students.

“I believe that, in turn, our students, after graduation, will be making a bigger contribution to the success of the construction industry in the state of Mississippi. "

Beginning this fall, the new courses will allow students to earn a master’s degree in construction.

Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.