APSU receives $50K Google grant to expand STEM education in rural Middle Tennessee

By: Emily Evans June 8, 2026

Austin Peay State University faculty members Dr. Andrea Lee, Dr. Hanrui He and Dr. Erica Boone pose with Google grant award recipients from Cheatham, Dickson, Montgomery, Robertson and Sumner counties on March 28 in the university’s Furniture Connection EdTech Studio. | Photo by Megan Simpson

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Austin Peay State University Foundation has received a $50,000 contribution from Google to support the Collaborative STEM Education Initiative for Middle TN K-12 Students. The initiative will bridge the technological and educational gap for rural communities by leveraging resources from Austin Peay's Furniture Connection EdTech Studio and public K-12 schools to deliver STEM-related workshops across five counties in Middle Tennessee.

Led by Dr. Hanrui He, assistant professor in the Department of Educational Specialties, along with co-principal investigators Dr. Andrea Lee, Dr. Daniel Bailey, Dr. Joanna Zimmerle, and Dr. Tara Hill, the project will provide hands-on learning experiences in coding robotics, virtual reality, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence. The workshops are designed for students from upper elementary through 12th grade, with a particular focus on communities that face barriers to accessing internet resources and advanced educational technology.

"Google is committed to investing in communities where we operate, and supporting STEM education is a critical part of that commitment," said Drake Mayo, community & workforce development manager at Google. "This continued partnership with Austin Peay State University will help ensure that students in rural Middle Tennessee have access to the technology tools and educational opportunities they need to succeed in our increasingly digital world. By bridging the digital divide, we're not just investing in students today—we're investing in the workforce and innovators of tomorrow."

The initiative will serve students, teachers, and families across Cheatham, Dickson, Sumner, Robertson, and Montgomery counties, with an expected reach of 500-1,000 participants. Beyond hosting workshops, the project will equip participating public libraries and schools with technology resources including coding robotics, VR headsets, and 3D printers, ensuring continued access to STEM tools long after the workshops conclude.

"Corporate partnerships like this one with Google are essential to APSU's mission of serving our region," said Kris Phillips, APSU’s vice president for Alumni, Engagement and Philanthropy. "This grant allows us to extend Austin Peay's resources beyond our campus and into communities that need them most. When corporate partners invest in initiatives like this, they're not just supporting a program—they're amplifying the Austin Peay experience by ensuring that students, regardless of their ZIP code, have opportunities to develop critical STEM skills."

The four workshop series includes Coding Robotics with Finch robots and Lego Education kits; EDUSphere VR Odyssey, exploring virtual reality in education; Layer by Layer: 3D Printing; and AI Unlocked: From Classroom to Real World. Education majors with concentrations in STEM-related fields will serve as workshop facilitators under faculty mentorship.

Dr. He and the project team will collect quantitative and qualitative data to measure the initiative's impact, with plans to share findings at local and national conferences and expand the program to additional communities across the region.

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