Benedict, Jarvis Colleges Become Community Centers for Coding and Creativity, in Collaboration with Tenn. State Univ.
Today, in celebration of Computer Science Education Week (December 7-13), [UNCF-member institutions] Benedict College and Jarvis Christian College announced that they will become Community Centers for Coding and Creativity as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative and Tennessee State University’s HBCU C2 program designed to bring hand-on coding experiences to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and their communities.
“Benedict College is pleased to become an integral part of Columbia’s workforce development efforts through the provision of coding training programs,” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, president and CEO of Benedict College. “The need for coding skills is growing faster than the current job market, which places those who master coding on a fast track to high-income jobs. We are proud to partner with Apple’s Community Education Initiative and Tennessee State University’s HBCU C2. to bring this rich opportunity to our community.”
“As skillsets in data analytics, computer science and cybersecurity have become more desirable by today’s employers, it is our responsibility to prepare our students for this new trend,” stated Jarvis College’s President Lester C. Newman. He further shared that “Becoming a Community Center for Coding and Creativity enables us to provide that career pathway for our students. We are very appreciative of the partnership with Apple and Tennessee State University.”
Faculty leaders from the colleges will participate in Apple’s ongoing Community Education Initiative Learning Series to learn about coding and app development. As part of that ongoing professional development, educators will explore innovative ways to engage with learners using Apple’s comprehensive curriculum, which utilizes its easy-to-learn Swift programming language.
As part of its Community Education Initiative, Apple is supporting Benedict and Jarvis with equipment and professional development to help the university become the pre-eminent HBCU C2 community center to bring coding and creativity to the schools’ communities.