Howard & Bowie State Launch $4M AI Initiative

Get ready for a major boost in AI education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)! Howard University and Bowie State University are joining forces on an exciting $4 million initiative designed to equip students and faculty with the skills needed to navigate and innovate in the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence.

Introducing ASCEND-AI: Bridging the Gap

The initiative, aptly named ASCEND-AI (Advancing Student and Collaborative Educator Networks for Digital AI Integration), is spearheaded by LaTanya Brown-Robertson, associate dean for academic innovation and student success at Howard’s College of Arts and Sciences. Bolstered by a significant grant from the U.S. Department of Education, ASCEND-AI is set to impact approximately 400 undergraduate and graduate students, along with 50 faculty members at each campus annually.

The core goals are ambitious: to significantly increase AI literacy, enhance the evaluation of AI-generated misinformation and “hallucinations,” and foster the ethical use of AI technologies. Furthermore, the program aims to prepare participants for innovation and entrepreneurship within the AI landscape.

Empowering Faculty and Students

A key component of ASCEND-AI involves training faculty members and providing them with the necessary resources to seamlessly integrate AI-related modules into their existing courses. This hands-on approach will allow students to directly apply AI concepts to their coursework, making the learning process more relevant and impactful.

Industry demands for AI-ready professionals and leaders, whereas universities currently are behind in producing AI-ready graduates. The ASCEND-AI grant focuses on addressing this gap and it will help Bowie State University faculty and students develop AI fluency, i.e., develop knowledge, skills and abilities to use and collaborate with AI systems ethically, safely, efficiently and effectively. — Azene Zenebe, Professor of Information Systems, Bowie State University

Bianca J. Jackson, founder & CEO of BrickRose Exchange and ASCEND-AI’s external evaluator, emphasized the initiative’s broader significance. She highlighted that the focus isn’t just on who builds AI tools, but crucially, who shapes their use. Jackson believes HBCU students are not merely future workers but “future creators and stewards of AI systems” who will define opportunities for their communities.

Collaborative Workshops and Future Expansion

Looking ahead, ASCEND-AI plans to host three large-scale collaborative workshops each year. These events will bring students and faculty from both Howard and Bowie State together for engaging AI-use competitions, showcasing innovation in research, teaching, and problem-solving. The initiative also has plans to expand its reach by including secondary school teachers in its third year, further broadening the impact of AI education.