UNCW receives $1M grant

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — UNCW students will soar to new heights with a $1 million grant to partner with the International Islamic University in Islamabad.

“I think it’s an awesome opportunity for our campus as well as the community,” student Elizabeth Thompson said.

That’s $1 million to bring together college students in Pakistan, and right here in Wilmington.

The initial three year grant will partner the school with the International Islamic University in Islamabad creating educational and cultural opportunities for students and faculty.

“I think any opportunity to foster a greater understanding of any culture or religion is a great one,” grad student Christian Commander said.

This million dollar grant is the first of its kind for UNCW and the largest state department grant in UNC-system history.

“That is just so awesome that somebody would donate this money to us,” Thompson said.

Grant program director, and English professor Cara Cilano says the money will go toward international transportation and hosting programs and workshops at both locations.

“We’ll be bringing these people over giving our students, our faculty and our staff, our community a chance to interact, to know Pakistanis one on one,” Cilano said.

She says the grant will help build bridges of understanding and communication between the US and Pakistan.

And with the recent unrest in the Middle East, many say this partnership is a step in the right direction.

“Right now, with what’s going on overseas with ISIS and a lot of strife in the Middle East, I think it’s a great opportunity to promote better understanding of quite frankly a really religion and culture.”

UNCW is just one of ten schools to receive the grant. School leaders say both universities are looking forward to the collaboration.