Edward Waters College announced a partnership with Propel Center, a global campus headquartered in Atlanta, that will support innovative learning and career development programming for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
“The partnership will undoubtedly create new pathways and help to remove traditional socio-economic barriers to technological access and career development opportunities particularly in these cutting edge disciplines for our students,” said A. Zachary Faison Jr., EWC president and CEO, in a news release Jan. 19.
Propel Center was designed by Ed Farm, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing education through technology, with Apple and Southern Company supporting the project as founding partners.
The Propel Center is designed to connect HBCU students to technology curriculum, cultural thought leaders, entrepreneurship skills development and accelerator programs, with a focus on social justice and equity.
The release said the initiative will serve as a hub for more than 100 HBCUs to connect students and faculty and provide them with the knowledge, skills, tools and resources necessary to transform the workforce.
Curriculum options will include artificial intelligence and machine learning, agricultural technologies, social justice, entertainment arts, app development, augmented reality, design and creativity, career preparation and entrepreneurship tracks.
Students will access Propel Center’s online digital learning platform and have access to the 50,000-square-foot Propel Center headquarters in Atlanta, equipped with lecture halls, learning labs and on-site living for a scholars-in-residence program.
“The HBCU community is a tremendous engine of Black creativity, entrepreneurship and inclusive opportunity,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, in the release.
“We know inequities exist in our society, and it’s up to each of us to be more intentional in our efforts to make a difference and bridge the gap,” stated Tom Fanning, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company.
“We know more must be done, and the establishment of the Propel Center is another important demonstration of Southern Company fulfilling our commitment to move our communities to a more equitable future.”
Visit PropelCenter.org for more information about the program.