South Carolina State Univ. partners with IBM to introduce more STEM opportunities to students

Several HBCU's are taking part in IBM's nationwide initiative to bring more diversity to STEM careers

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (WOLO) — South Carolina State University is working to give more of their students a chance to pursue careers in science and technology.

The school recently entered into a $2 million partnership with IBM to help students find more ways to succeed.

The Pew Research Institute says Black workers only make up about 9% of the STEM workforce.

Valinda Kennedy and her team at IBM are looking to change this number by partnering with several Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country.

“If you don’t see it, you have no idea how to be it,” Kennedy, who is the HBCU Program Lead for IBM’s Global University Programs, told ABC Columbia. “So when that student sees that one person that looks like them, that gives them a vision of what they can become.”

James Clark, South Carolina State University’s President, said giving students and staff access to IBM’s technology will help the school emerge as a thriving spot for science and technological education.

“If someone wants to learn about Blockchain or quantum computing and so on and so forth, they can do it here,” Clark said. “If they want to take three or four or five or six levels deep in artificial intelligence, they can do it here.”

Through the program, students can interact with IBM officials and learn about new technologies and careers the company has to offer. IBM also hosts weekly HBCU “school vs. school” events, where schools try to get as many students as possible to listen to their experts.

Kennedy said IBM hopes to work with all 102 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States, opening the door to new opportunities for students.

“We need innovation and one of the fundamental drivers of innovation is diversity,” Kennedy said.

With several computer science programs already offered at the school, Clark said he hopes to see the university continue strengthening the lives of its students through education.

“My vision is that there’s no boundary on the learning of our students in any particular area, especially when it comes to STEM and particularly in the computing area,” Clark said.

For more information on the program, click here.