PORTSMOUTH — The Shawnee State University Development Foundation has received a $50,000 grant award from the AEP Ohio Committee to support the continued expansion of the Kricker Innovation Hub’s (KIH) programming and infrastructure project. The grant will support KIH in 2022 and 2023 as the facility celebrates its renovation and reopening to the public.

“The mission of AEP Ohio perfectly aligns with our support of the Kricker Innovation Hub and its role as a bridge between campus and community,” said Chris Moore, Executive Director of the SSU Development Foundation.

The AEP Ohio Foundation strives to improve the quality of life for people in communities where AEP and its operating units serve and where AEP employees live and work. They seek to improve lives through education from early childhood through higher education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.

“This grant will sustain the continued expansion of the Kricker Innovation Hub through our grand opening this fall and beyond,” said David Kilroy, Director of the KIH. “I want to thank the AEP Ohio Foundation for their support. Their investment is acknowledgement of the impact the Hub has in our community.”

The KIH is set to open its renovated facility in early fall 2022. Its mission is to help businesses and entrepreneurs grow and bring their ideas to tomorrow’s market through signature programs such as the Ignite Portsmouth Entrepreneurship Boot Camp and the Glockner Dare to Dream High School Business Pitch Competition.

To learn more about the programs and services offered by the Kricker Innovation Hub at Shawnee State University, visit www.ssuinnovation.com.