Morgan State University’s nursing program is now the best in the state. According to a press release, Morgan State University’s Department of Nursing achieved a 100% first-time pass rate for the NCLEX-RN nursing licensure examination for its 2025 bachelor’s in nursing graduates. A 2025–26 NCLEX-RN program report found that the entire cohort of test-takers passed on the first attempt and outperformed state and national averages. The Historically Black College and University’s (HBCU’s) nursing program last achieved a 100% pass rate in 2018, per the release. “This achievement affirms the strength, discipline, and intentionality of a program that has steadily built toward this level of excellence,” said Kim Dobson Sydnor, Ph.D., dean of the School of Community Health and Policy, in the press release. “A 100 percent pass rate is not simply a measure of academic success — it reflects the readiness of our graduates to enter the profession at a critical moment for health care.” As a result...

Will.i.am has completed his first semester teaching an agentic AI course at Arizona State University (ASU). As previously reported by AFROTECH™, will.i.am, founder and CEO of FYI.AI, began a 15-week journey in January 2026 to teach students “The Agentic Self” at ASU’s The GAME School. Will.i.am said the opportunity marked a new era in his life. “From creating global unifying music to establishing my i.am Angel Foundation, which empowers 15,000 Los Angeles area high school students with STEM skills and sends thousands to college, I find the answer to my question ‘Where’s the love?’ in this course,” he said. When considering the future — and the next generation — he has not overlooked AI’s role. He views the ASU course as “a solution to AI replacing human jobs.” Across two locations and 16 class meetings, he taught 75 students ages 18 to 70 years, including undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree learners, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™. Students learned about a...

Miguel is carving out time to educate the youth on the music industry. Scholar-in-Residence The Grammy-winning musician and producer, who released the album “CAOS” in 2025, is the 2025-2026 Scholar-in-Residence at New York University’s (NYU’s) Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, according to a press release. Students will be able to take part in seminars, masterclasses, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and the “CAOS Curriculum,” which will shed light on his creative process, marketing, and the business of the music industry, from negotiating contracts to intellectual property. “We are excited to host Miguel as this year’s Scholar-in-Residence,” said Jack H. Knott, the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of NYU Steinhardt, in the press release. “As a successful artist and music entrepreneur, Miguel has many first-hand lessons and practical strategies to share with our students to help prepare them for their future careers.” Miguel also spoke candidly of his post...

Morgan State University has received a grant to support an energy research project. According to a press release, the university’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) has been awarded a $2.4 million grant by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, to lead Rads to Watts, a project that will convert nuclear radiation into electrical energy. Morgan State University becomes the first historically Black college and university (HBCU) to lead a project from the DARPA. “This award reflects the strength of our research and our ability to lead high-impact federally funded projects that address complex national challenges,” said Oscar Barton Jr., dean of the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. School of Engineering, in a press release. “It also highlights Morgan’s continued growth as a leader in advanced engineering research and innovation.” Dr. Michael Spencer, a professor of electrical and computer Engineering, leads the Rads to Watts project. “We are excited to...

A multi-million-dollar initiative is on the way to ensure the responsible use of AI at two HBCUs. ASCEND-AI According to a press release, Howard University and Bowie State University will benefit from a $4 million initiative called ASCEND-AI (Advancing Student and Collaborative Educator Networks for Digital AI Integration). It is led by LaTanya Brown-Robertson, associate dean for academic innovation and student success in Howard’s College of Arts and Sciences , and is supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. ASCEND-AI will reach about 400 undergraduate and graduate students and 50 faculty members across each campus annually to increase their AI literacy. The program seeks to strengthen its evaluation of AI-generated misinformation and hallucinations and encourage ethical use of AI. Additionally, the partnership will prepare participants to use AI for innovation and entrepreneurship. Faculty members at Howard University and Bowie State University will be trained...

Georgia is now home to a first-of-its-kind AI degree program. According to a news release, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the launch of a bachelor’s degree in AI at Kennesaw State University (KSU), starting in fall 2026 on the KSU Marietta Campus and online through the College of Computing and Software Engineering. The degree will include a first-year experience course, a writing-intensive course geared toward computing, and an applied AI capstone that will also give students a chance to work with industry partners, the news release noted. There will also be internships and undergraduate research opportunities available for credit. The announcement arrives as the state prepares for a surge of 186,000 new STEM jobs over the next five years, per the news release. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Atlanta ranks second among best cities for STEM professionals. Over the next decade, STEM professionals are projected to earn a median income of...

Southern University and A&M College marked a significant milestone in the construction of its $68 million science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) complex. In an Instagram post published Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, the Baton Rouge, LA-based Historically Black College and University ( HBCU ) shared plans that the state-of-the-art facility will be completed in 2027. “A major milestone is now in place,” the university shared in the post. “Today, Southern University celebrated the topping-off of the new STEM Complex, marking the placement of the final structural beam.” According to a news release, the project is funded through Louisiana’s Capital Outlay Act. Transforming STEM Education On Campus University officials believe the facility will transform STEM education on campus and beyond, positioning students to compete at the highest levels. “Our mission is to provide a transformative educational experience and opportunities to our students so they can become global...

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is strengthening medical education across several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). According to information on RWJF’s website, an estimated 70% of the nation’s Black doctors and dentists are educated at HBCUs. These professionals often return to work in underserved areas and conduct inclusive research, notes the website, adding further importance to the foundation’s investment in HBCU medical programs. Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine Awarded $1.75M In early February 2026, The foundation awarded a $1.75 million grant to the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM), supporting advancements in medical education and healthcare across the Gulf South and other regions, according to a news release. XOCOM leaders will receive support for development and engagement as they pursue preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to become the “fifth allopathic HBCU medical school” in the nation, notes...

Howard University has introduced an AI course to prepare its students for leading-edge engineering roles, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™. The Historically Black College and University (HBCU) is rolling out an Intro to Artificial Intelligence course in spring 2026, in partnership with CodePath and with the financial support of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). Howard faculty and CodePath’s faculty network will work together on course instruction in areas including data structures, AI literacy, and agentic workflows, per the press release. “Our work is rooted in the idea that HBCUs are not only equipping students for coursework but also building skills vital to succeeding and leading in the workplace,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, TMCF president and CEO, in the press release. “Through programs like this and professional development such as what our Innovation & Partnership arm provides, our HBCUs are elevating excellence and creating pathways to opportunity...

Omar Shaheed III stepped into unfamiliar territory in technology, and now he is setting an example after accomplishing a historical first. The 23-year-old graduated from Berkeley High School in 2020 and was offered an opportunity to apply to South Carolina State University’s mechatronics engineering program by Dr. Hasanul Basher, a professor and chairman of SC State’s Department of Engineering Technology, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™. The program was in its infancy, and Shaheed was its first student. The program is geared toward equipping students in electronics, control systems, robotics, communications, computer technology, and power systems to work at companies such as Boeing, BMW, Eli Lilly, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, according to information on the program’s website. When Dr. Basher approached Shaheed, the program was still in development at the Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Shaheed admitted he was...

Students at Queens High School for the Sciences — the New York borough’s only specialized high school — are pushing to move to a brand-new building, relocating from the second floor of York College’s Jamaica building. Citing issues including overcrowding and the lack of a kitchen and auditorium, students hope to move into the new city-built school at 165-15 88th Ave., scheduled to open in fall 2026, ChalkBeat New York reports . Sophomore Vinny Dong has twice addressed the Panel for Educational Policy, the school board that handles school location proposals, about his school’s conditions. “We have a gym shared with a college that’s two blocks away, for 514 students. We have a library that’s also shared, even though it’s critical for our educational content and classes,” Dong told the panel in October 2025, per ChalkBeat. At least three of the seven parent boards in the borough, along with the citywide high school parent council, also support relocation or creating an entirely new...

Dr. RoDina L. Williams has made history as the first Black person in Illinois to earn a Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS). A mother, advocate, and scholar, Williams recently received her DCLS from the University of Texas Medical Branch but says it was her time at Illinois State University (ISU) that set her on the path to success. She first stepped into higher education at ISU, earning two bachelor’s degrees — in kinesiology and recreation and medical laboratory science, according to Illinois State University News. She currently serves as director of health sciences–medical laboratory programs at City Colleges of Chicago . “To stand as the first Black person in Illinois to have a Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science is a testament to every door our ancestors pushed open and every barrier we continue to dismantle,” Williams shared in an email to AFROTECH™. “This honor reminds me that representation isn’t just symbolic; it is a beacon. If my journey lights the path...

A new collaboration seeks to boost student pathways into healthcare and IT careers. eHBCU The first digital HBCU consortium in the U.S., eHBCU, was launched in July to ensure Black learners could obtain degrees, certifications, and mentorship, as well as expand their access to career pipelines, according to information shared with AFROTECH™. It launched with a coalition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), including P ensole Lewis College of Business & Design, D elaware State University, Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, LA), Southern University at New Orleans, Southern University at Shreveport (LA), and Alabama State University. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, eHBCU launched with 10 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 35 certification programs created with “employer input,” per a press release, to ensure students are equipped for the workforce. Areas of learning include criminal justice administration, psychology, health information...

Bowie State University (BSU) in Prince George’s County, MD, has received a nearly $1 million, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to launch the Computing Experiential Hub (CEH). According to a news release shared with AFROTECH™, the CEH combines classroom learning with real-world experience to prepare students for careers in AI and emerging technologies. The initiative will establish new partnerships with leading tech companies, startups, and entrepreneurial ventures — including IBM — to support its goal. “With the Computing Experiential Hub, BSU is taking a bold step to ensure our students are not just learning about artificial intelligence but actively applying it through real-world projects and industry partnerships,” Dr. Rose Shumba, who chairs the computer science department and serves as principal investigator for the CEH, said in the press release. Dr. Shumba added that the CEH will “expand diversity in the AI workforce and position BSU as a national...

Tiger Woods brought his commitment to education to West Philadelphia on Sept. 8 as he unveiled the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab. The education center is part of a $150 million renovation of the historic Cobbs Creek Golf Course, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal. Cobbs Creek Golf Club, which opened in 1916, was one of the first courses in the region to welcome golfers of all races. It was also the home course of Charlie Sifford, the first Black golfer to earn a PGA Tour card, per the Philadelphia Business Journal. Woods, who calls Sifford “the grandfather he never had,” even named his son Charlie in his honor. The 30,000-square-foot facility, a collaboration between the TGR Foundation, the Cobbs Creek Foundation, and the Smilow Foundation, is designed to do far more than teach golf. Students from grades one through 12 will have free, year-round access to programs in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, along with college prep and career readiness...