Duval Times

Edward Waters College recently issued the following announcement.

Edward Waters was awarded a $500,000 grant for the restoration of Centennial Hall.

Jacksonville, Florida – The National Park Service (NPS) has awarded a $500,000 grant to Edward Waters University (EWU) for the restoration of Centennial Hall. This grant is part of the $9.7 million awarded to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in ten states for the preservation of historic facilities on campus through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).

“HBCUs have been an important part of the American education system for more than 180 years, providing high-level academics, opportunities, and community for generations of students,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge. “The National Park Service’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Grant Program provides assistance to preserve noteworthy structures that honor the past and tell the ongoing story of these historic institutions.”

Since 1995, the NPS has awarded $77.6 million in grants to 66 HBCUs. Congress appropriates funding for the program through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). The HPF uses revenue from federal oil leases on the Outer Continental Shelf to provide assistance for a broad range of preservation projects without expending tax dollars.

Projects funded by these grants will support the physical preservation of National Register listed sites on HBCU campuses to include historic districts, buildings, sites, structures, and objects. Eligible costs include pre-preservation studies, architectural plans and specifications, historic structure reports, and the repair and rehabilitation of historic properties according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

This years’ grants will fund projects that include a window restoration project for Centennial Hall at EWU.  Housing the university library, Centennial Hall contains approximately 13,000 print volumes and provides access to over 250,000 electronic books and more than 60 print periodicals. As an information commons hub, the library facilitates academic learning and research, supports the institution’s curriculum through enhanced classroom instruction, fosters critical thinking and information literacy, and promotes professional, ethical and social growth by providing the latest information resources, services, and technologies to students and employees. Further, the library is a member of the American Library Association, the HBCU Library Alliance, and the Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN).

“This award from the National Park Service will allow Edward Waters to further its mission of student access and opportunity as we work to transform the university library and make it a hub for exploration, collaboration, and innovation while honoring the history and traditions of the structure,” said EWU President and CEO, Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr. “We are in a period of dynamic transition at Edward Waters and we will continue to seek opportunities like this one to enhance our facilities and advance our reputation as the state of Florida’s premier destination institution of higher education and Emerging Eminence.”

Original source can be found here.