Joe Ruh

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell presented Northern Kentucky University with $1.5 million in federally funded checks he secured to support both a science and a technology endeavor.

Of the funds, $500,000 will go toward the NKU Institute for New Economy Technologies (iNET). The other $1 million will fund a joint NKU/University of Louisville project- a Digital Science Center and a Stellar Command Center. The iNET funds pay for new faculty training, coursework and technology-rich teaching environments. The Digital Science Center, along with a new Stellar Command Center, will help educate college students, elementary students and high school students.

McConnell secured the funds while he served as senior member of the U.S. Senate’s Committee of Appropriations.

“The research being conducted at Northern Kentucky University is helping prepare students to join the twenty-first entity workplace,” McConnell said in a statement. “NKU has earned this funding, and I am honored to deliver this appropriation for this fine institution.”