PROPEL has announced the establishment of the PROPEL HBCU Cybersecurity Consortium (HCC), in partnership with Southern Company, Led by Dr Lisa Herring, the former superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools, PROPEL is a first-of-its-kind innovation hub for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Strengthening Industry-Academia Collaboration PROPEL’s new HCC incorporates four key elements: a resource hub, professional development programs, accelerated learning opportunities, and a workforce pipeline. By providing HBCU students and faculty with access to the latest industry trends, technologies, and real-world projects, the consortium aims to create an educational environment that
Leading software company Sage has contributed $100,000 to Morehouse College, supporting a new course for the next generation of Black tech entrepreneurs. Cultivating Future Leaders through Micropreneurship Morehouse College, the nation’s only historically Black liberal arts institution for men, and Sage have joined together to address the underrepresentation of Black professionals in technology. With only 8% of tech workers and 3% of executives being Black, this new course will commence in Fall 2024 to help change the statistics. The 15-week Micropreneurship course, funded by a $100,000 donation from Sage, is designed to immerse students in
Historically Black College and University, Virginia State (VSU), has been selected to host the esteemed 2024 FIRST Chesapeake District FIRST Robotics Competition Championship (FRC). The event, scheduled from April 4-6 at the VSU Multi-Purpose Center, is estimated to attract up to 4,000 attendees, including high school teams across the Chesapeake District. It will additionally mark the first occasion an HBCU has hosted this prestigious competition. FIRST Robotics Competition Championship FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global non-profit organization focusing on leadership in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This year, it
Three students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) have been named 2023 Astronaut Scholars, marking a historic moment for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). A Historical Moment For HBCUs The Astronaut Scholarship was founded in 1984 by the surviving members of the Mercury 7 crew members. It stands as one of the nation’s most prominent scholarships for students pursuing STEM degrees. N.C. A&T is the first HBCU to have more than one Astronaut Scholarship recipient in a year, a significant milestone in promoting diversity in STEM fields. The scholarships,
Black-owned AI ed-tech company Skilldora has joined forces with African American billionaire Dr. Michael V. Roberts to offer its platform and AI Instructor-led courses to students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Roberts is the founder of Roberts Innovation Group, which aims to break barriers and pave the way for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities to succeed in the tech industry. Skilldora Skilldora, founded by DeMario and Dawn Nicole McIlwain, is an African-American-owned accredited e-learning provider known for its innovative platform and app. The platform aims to
The 2024 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl Career Fair is set to open doors of tech opportunities for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Scheduled for February 22nd and 23rd at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the event is specifically designed to bridge the gap between graduation and careers for HBCU students. Opening Avenues In Tech And Beyond The HBCU Legacy Bowl Fair is an initiative presented by the New Orleans Saints. The exclusive event is limited to juniors, seniors, and recent graduates (classes of 2022,
Actress, author, and entrepreneur Malinda Williams has launched the ESTEAM Project for women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The coding bootcamp emerges from her Arise And Shine Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering women from diverse backgrounds. “As a professional actress and someone who has experienced first-hand the support of my community, I understand the value of collaboration and paying it forward,” said Williams in a press release. “The Arise and Shine Foundation exists to empower women to reach their goals, and coding is a powerful
Spelman College has made history on its 100th birthday as the recipient of a $100 million donation: the largest-ever single gift to a historically Black college. The college is based in Atlanta and is a historically Black liberal arts college for women. The donation came from businesswoman and philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston – the chairman of the wealth management company Greenleaf Trust. Stryker has been a Spelman College Trustee since 1997 and a member of Harvard Medical School’s board of fellows member. She is also the granddaughter
Businessman Ted Lucas went from creating millionaires in the music business to creating the Technolij Innovation Center at one of Florida’s Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU). Meet Ted Lucas Lucas founded the independent music label Slip-N-Slide Records. He told AFROTECH he knew how to seek talent and people before they saw it in themselves. “I wanted to be the one behind getting the deals and getting the deals done. So, I found my niche, how I work, and what works best for me to be in the music business,” he said.
Breakr, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) alumni-founded music platform, has raised an additional $1.9 million. Breakr is reshaping influencer collaboration through its SaaS platform designed explicitly for record labels, artists, and brands. By enabling creator-to-creator relationships at scale, labels and brands can move at the speed of culture, and creators can get paid fairly for making it happen. The Three-Sided Marketplace Breakr’s unique selling point is that it effectively treats the basic concept of connecting creators to build influencer campaigns as a programmatic opportunity. The company recently came
