Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) has announced a $2 million gift from the Allsup Family Charitable Foundation in support of childhood development initiatives as well as an endowment to benefit the education, health care, agriculture, and business programs, reported MyHighPlains.com.

The largest gift the ENMU Foundation has received will fund a scholarship program for transfer students entering the teacher education program, a child development center internship program, and a farm-to-table initiative. The internship program will establish a new pre-residency program that embeds education students into early childhood education classes.

“One of the biggest challenges our state faces is a shortage of highly qualified teachers; the Allsup Family Foundation’s philanthropic foresight enables us to ‘grow our own’ educators and enhance New Mexico’s skilled workforce,” said ENMU vice president of academic affairs Jamie Laurenz. “In addition to the College of Education and Technology, this substantial gift will help advance our academic strengths in business, agriculture, and health care.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Tatsiana Volkava)