Wichita State was awarded a $7.1 million grant earlier this month from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, the university announced Thursday. 

The funding was awarded to the WSU Ventures program and is aimed at creating manufacturing jobs, strengthening WSU institutes, centers and laboratories as part of the Innovation Campus initiative, a news release from WSU said. 

The grant is intended to strengthen manufacturing in south Kansas, especially in the area of defense-related businesses.