Tag Archives: Apple

College of Engineering, FACULTY, Featured, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, Student Profile

TSU students among brightest minds selected for Thurgood Marshall College Fund Inaugural Apple Engineering & Innovation Program

May 31, 2022 Alexis Clark

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Three Tennessee State University students have been selected to participate in the inaugural class of Apple’s Engineering & Innovation (E&I) Program. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) announced that Derrion Boyce, Ashleigh Thomas and Tenille Cochran are the TSU Apple Scholars for the program.

All showed their gratitude for the scholarship award of $15,000 for the academic school year.

Derrion Boyce

Boyce, a first-generation college student and rising senior majoring in electrical engineering, said the Apple HBCU Scholars award allows him to have a seamless journey to obtaining his degree.

“This scholarship has given me more hope, and less worry about college,” Boyce said. The Chicago, Illinois, native said he looks forward to becoming a prominent figure and role model at TSU as he will take full advantage of the scholarship opportunity. “I really appreciate the opportunity given to me to help pay for my education, that will help my future.”

Ashleigh Thomas

Ashleigh Thomas of Suwanee, Georgia, who is a computer science major, also stated that the opportunity has motivated her to continue thriving and finish off her last year in college strong.

“Being an Apple scholar has motivated me to remain focused on obtaining my degree,” Thomas said. “It has given me the confidence that I will one day be an innovator as Apple has been to people and the world.”

Professor and Interim Dean of Civil Engineering Dr. Lin Li said the innovative program will prepare the students to become the next generation of diverse leaders.

“It is such great support to three TSU students with the inaugural class of Apple’s E & I Program,” Dr. Li said.

Rising junior and Nashville native Tenille Cochran, who is an architectural engineering major said she was shocked when she received recognition from TMCF and Apple.

Tenille Cochran

“To be acknowledged for my accomplishments as an undergraduate student, it has given me confidence and broaden my perspective regarding my personal and professional development,” Cochran said.

“It helped me realize that all I needed was courage, effort, and confidence to achieve my goals. I can’t express how much the Apple Scholars program changed my life.”

President & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Dr. Harry L. Williams said The E&I Scholars are recognized as among the best in the country. “With the support of Apple, we look forward to advancing and elevating the critical importance of science and automation in preparing tomorrow’s tech leaders,” he said.

In total, 43 Apple E&I Scholars were selected from applicants from engineering programs at America’s publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs).

The Apple Engineering & Innovation Program is an initiative designed to equip the next generation of Black tech leaders through financial assistance, access to training and professional development experiences, and real-world skill application. The program will also allow scholars to engage in technical learning opportunities and participate in sessions led by Apple executives and industry leaders, according to a report from TMCF.

Apple Engineering & Innovation Scholars will also have opportunities to secure internships and full-time employment after graduation.

About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit http://www.tmcf.org> www.tmcf.org<http://www.tmcf.org.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu<http://www.tnstate.edu/>.

Civil Right Movement, FACULTY, Featured, NEWS, Uncategorized

TSU professor, Apple creating app to highlight Nashville’s civil rights history

March 1, 2022 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – For more than a decade, Tennessee State University history professor Learotha Williams has worked to highlight those unsung heroes of the civil rights movement in North Nashville. Now, with the help of Apple, Inc. and TSU’s National Center for SMART Technology Innovations, Dr. Williams is creating an app to do just that, and more.

When completed, the app will guide people on a walking tour of key landmarks in the movement, including the cafeteria (now called Elliott Hall) where TSU students were recruited for activism. Along the way, people will be able to hear interviews Williams conducted with civil rights luminaries through his North Nashville Heritage Project, which collects historical information about that part of the city.

“I want to highlight some voices I feel have been marginalized,” says Williams, who is often sought nationally for his historical perspective. “I feel that we don’t get the credit we deserve in terms of the Nashville movement. I will be sharing things that may have been overlooked, or people just didn’t talk about.”

Jasmine Sears, a junior history major from Atlanta with a concentration in teaching, is assisting Williams with historical research for the app. She says she’s excited about the reach the device will provide.

“I think it will serve as a good educational tool for people who can’t sit in the classroom and learn about Nashville and its impact in the civil rights movement,” says Sears. “More people will have access to this information.”

Johnathan Glover, another history major from Atlanta, is also helping Williams with research for the app.

“An app like this is important because not many people know the history of this community around TSU,” says Glover, who is minoring in geography. “And, point blank, people should know their history.”

John Lewis, James Lawson, Bernard Lafayette, and Diane Nash are well known names in the civil rights movement in Nashville. But there are others, like TSU alums Gloria McKissack, Elizabeth McClain, Ernest “Rip” Patton, and Kwame Lillard, who don’t receive the attention they deserve.

“If you can imagine being in a church that’s full of people fired up for the civil rights movement, I want to talk to the people on the back pew,” adds Williams. “The people whose presence was necessary, but oftentimes overlooked.”

Dr. Robin Blackman is senior program executive director for the HBCU C²Initiative, which is part of the National Center for SMART Technology Innovations. She says the idea of the app stemmed from a conversation she had with Williams about his North Nashville Heritage Project.

“As we talked, I realized it was a great idea for the creation of an app by the Tennessee State University Inaugural HBCU C² App Development Team,” says Blackman.

The team is a component of the HBCU C²Grant Initiative, which is a partnership between TSU and Apple. TSU serves as the HBCU C² national hub for training educators and preparing students by providing multiple pathways and opportunities to acquire essential digital literacies and technological skills of coding and creativity.

“The selection of the app was easy, given the mutual interest in history surrounding Tennessee State University and the focus of the research to highlight the impact of African American students, people, businesses, and the North Nashville Community on the struggle for civil rights,” says Blackman. “The app will provide a contemporary virtual, historical portrait of the significance and roles of the actors that influenced the life we currently live.”

Marc Aupont, an iOS Engineer with HBCU C², is leading development of the app, and says he’s looking forward to “celebrating the rich history of North Nashville.”

“If we do our job correctly, we will inform, as well as celebrate, those folks that people may have not known before,” says Aupont. “And give North Nashville their due props.”

Dr. Robbie Melton, vice president of the SMART Technology Center and principal investigator for HBCU C², says she plans to welcome 12 new historically black colleges and universities to the initiative in general.

“Our goal is to expand HBCU C2 to all our 106 HBCU Institutions,” says Melton. “This initiative is not just about coding, but empowering our HBCUs with the knowledge of digital literacy and technological skills required for today’s digital workplace and for tomorrow’s future technology innovations.”

The app is expected to be completed by May of this year.

To learn more about TSU’s National Center for SMART Technology Innovations, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/hbcuc2/index.html.

For more about the North Nashville Heritage Project, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/nnhp/.

Note: Featured graphic created by Donn Jobe in TSU’s Creative Services

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and eight doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, FACULTY, Featured, FEATURED, NEWS, Uncategorized

TSU’s national coding hub welcomes 12 new HBCUs to be community centers

August 26, 2021 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s national coding hub is welcoming 12 new HBCUs to be community centers as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative.

The schools will become community centers for Coding and Creativity as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative and Tennessee State University’s HBCU C². The teaching and learning initiative is designed to empower Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to expand technology and creativity experiences within their institutions and broader communities.

“In expanding the partnership to include the twelve new HBCUs we are on track in reaching our goal to empower all 106 HBCUs with the digital competencies and technology skill sets to meet the job demands for our global digital workforce careers,” said Dr. Robbie Melton, associate vice president of the TSU SMART Innovation Global Center.

The new schools are: Alabama State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters College, Elizabeth City State University, Florida A&M University, Harris-Stowe State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Lincoln University, MO, Simmons College of Kentucky, Virginia State University, and Texas Southern.

They join nearly three dozen universities across the country serving as HBCU C² community coding centers or regional hubs. Since 2019, participating HBCUs have offered new learning opportunities to thousands of degree-seeking students and community learners and expanded their impact through partnerships with local K-12 schools, community organizations, local governments, and more.

As part of its Community Education Initiative, Apple is supporting the institutions with equipment and ongoing professional development to become the pre-eminent HBCU C² community center to bring coding and creativity to their communities.

Faculty and educators will learn about coding and app development, and work with Apple to identify opportunities to incorporate its comprehensive Everyone Can Code and Everyone Can Create curricula, which utilizes the easy-to-learn Swift programming language. Support from Apple also includes mobile iPad and Mac labs, opportunities for student jobs and scholarships, and funding for staff.

To learn more about TSU’s HBCU C²initiative, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/hbcuc2/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Alumni, FACULTY, FEATURED, Featured, NEWS, Uncategorized

How TSU connected with Apple and became a global coding hub for HBCUs

February 1, 2021 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover had a vision of bringing coding and creativity experiences to all the nation’s historically black colleges and universities and their communities. About two years ago, she, along with a team of community and administrative leaders, traveled to California to discuss the idea with Apple. The tech giant liked it.

TSU President Glenda Glover

“We shared our vision and our mission of empowering all the HBCUs with the digital literacy skills of coding,” says Dr. Glover. “We saw where the world was changing, which meant the workplace was changing, and a need for us to change the way we prepare HBCU students so they can be more competitive in the workforce.”

In July 2019, TSU launched the inaugural HBCU C² Presidential Academy through its newly established Global SMART Technology Innovation Center. More than a dozen HBCUs were involved, and Apple provided equipment, professional development and training.

Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about the initiative: “Anything is possible when people come together with a shared vision. Thank you to @TSUedu for your leadership and enthusiasm in bringing coding to your community and HBCUs nationwide!”

That vision has continued to grow. Under TSU’s Global SMART Technology Innovation Center, there are now eight regional hubs, and community coding centers at 26 HBCUs. At least 20 HBCUs are on a waiting list.

“I can document that right now we have impacted 14,000-plus HBCU students and 5,000-plus community people (including faculty, staff, students and the community),” says Dr. Robbie Melton, associate vice president of TSU’s Center.

Dr. S. Keith Hargrove is dean of the College of Engineering at TSU and a coding trainer.

“We are well on our way to impacting and expanding our HBCU reach to more institutions and communities, to promote the value of coding and using creativity tools for software development,” says Hargrove. “And we can’t wait to see the amazing things they will do with these new skills.”

Statistics show 67 percent of tech companies are made up of less than 5 percent of black employees. In Tennessee, information technology employment grew by nearly 3,800 net new jobs in 2019.

At TSU, the university is giving its alumni and others affected by the coronavirus pandemic an opportunity to retool. In a continued partnership with Apple, it’s helping those individuals learn how to code and design apps through an “Everyone Can Code and Create” course offered online.

Michael Davis, Jr., a science teacher with Metro Nashville Public Schools, says he and his wife took the course and it was very beneficial. In addition to improving his own skill set, Davis says he wants to pass what he learns on to his students.

“This is so beneficial for me as an educator because I can share this with my students,” says Davis. “It’s so important that they learn this.”

Melton says the pandemic has helped reveal the importance of having digital skills.

“The pandemic has helped us realize the world is now digital and connected,” says Melton. “In order to function, regardless of your career discipline, you have to have digital literacy and skills to be competitive.”

Last month, TSU announced its partnership with Propel Center, a new global campus headquartered in Atlanta that will support innovative learning and development for the 100-plus HBCUs.

Apple and Atlanta-based Southern Company are investing $25 million to build the Propel Center, which will be based at the Atlanta University Center, the nation’s largest consortium of HBCUs including Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College. Nearly 8,000 students are enrolled across the complex.

Students from participating schools will access Propel Center’s online digital learning platform from anywhere, and will also have access to the 50,000 square-foot center, equipped with state-of-the-art lecture halls, learning labs, and on-site living for a scholars-in-residence program.

To learn more about TSU’s HBCU C²initiative, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/hbcuc2/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Alumni, FACULTY, Featured, FEATURED, NEWS, Uncategorized

TSU enhances student preparation for careers in technology in partnership with Propel Center, a New Global HBCU Headquarters for Innovation

January 13, 2021 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is partnering with Propel Center, a new global campus headquartered in Atlanta that will support innovative learning and development for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide. TSU will collaborate with Propel Center and the entire HBCU community to bring leadership and career development programming to its students.

For the past two years, TSU has been working with Apple to launch and expand the school’s HBCU C² initiative through the TSU Global SMART Technology Innovation Center. The initiative brings coding and creativity experiences to all 100-plus HBCUs and their communities.

In the new partnership, TSU officials say Propel Center will focus more on helping students, where the TSU Center will concentrate on faculty at HBCUs and their communities.

“Tennessee State University is excited to be partnering with Propel Center,” says TSU President Glenda Glover. “The TSU Global SMART Technology Innovation Center has been working with HBCU faculty leaders to help them learn about coding and app design and development, as well as bring coding and creativity experiences to their communities. This new partnership will strengthen that effort.”

Dr. Robbie Melton, Associate Vice President of the Global SMART Technology Innovation Center, agrees.

“The Propel Center expands the TSU Apple HBCU C2 National Hub “Everyone Can Code and Create” by creating a state-of-the-art technology innovation physical site for all HBCU students to now have full access to the latest 21st century technology tools, engineers, computer scientists, and resources to prepare them for the digital workforce,” says Melton. “Our students will now have a place to take them to the next level of innovation and entrepreneurship for the new digital careers of the future.”

Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, says the tech giant is pleased to be part of the initiative.

“We are thrilled to join with partners and community stakeholders to support the Propel Center and be part of this groundbreaking new global hub for HBCU innovation and learning, devoted to helping faculty create best-in-class curriculum and ensuring students have access to cutting-edge skills,” says Jackson.

Propel Center was imagined and 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.

Curriculum options will include AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning, agricultural technologies, social justice, entertainment arts, app development, augmented reality, design and creativity, career preparation, and entrepreneurship tracks.

Students from participating schools will access Propel Center’s online digital learning platform from anywhere, and will also have access to the 50,000 square-foot Propel Center headquarters in Atlanta, equipped with state-of-the-art lecture halls, learning labs, and on-site living for a scholars-in-residence program.

TSU freshman Elise Russ says she is looking forward to the benefits of the new partnership.

”I believe the Propel Center partnership will significantly enhance the greatness that is within not only TSU students, but all HBCU pupils,” says Russ, a civil engineering major from Nashville. “The digital platform that will be accessible to us will also readily display our research, enhance talents, and create a network among students that will ignite knowledge and mastery in various fields.”

Treveon Hayes, a TSU sophomore elementary education major from Memphis, Tennessee, says the partnership is an “amazing opportunity.”

“It’s another example of HBCUs preparing students for life after graduation,” says Hayes.

Last month, TSU’s national coding hub welcomed 23 new HBCUs to be community coding centers, which means almost three dozen schools are now part of the initiative.

To learn more about TSU’s HBCU C²initiative, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/hbcuc2/.

For more information about Propel Center, visit PropelCenter.org.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, FACULTY, Featured, FEATURED, Uncategorized

TSU’s national coding hub welcomes 23 new HBCUs to be community centers as part of Apple initiative

December 11, 2020 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s national coding hub is welcoming 23 new HBCUs to be community centers as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative. The announcement comes during Computer Science Education Week, Dec. 7-13.

The tech giant has been working with TSU for the past two years to launch and expand the school’s HBCU C² initiative, which brings coding and creativity experiences to all 100-plus historically black colleges and universities and their communities.

Students discuss ideas at TSU’s national coding hub. (TSU Media Relations)

To date, there are eight C² hubs across the nation, and now a total of 25 HBCU C² centers. Stakeholders say the promotion of digital literacy, computational thinking, coding and creativity will help bring workforce development opportunities to students, faculty, and the broader HBCU communities.

“This partnership with Apple will empower our HBCUs with the knowledge and skill sets now required for the technological workforce,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “Coding and app development are a growing part of the global workforce, and we want to help make sure people of color, especially our students, are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be competitive, and successful.”

Dr. Robbie Melton, associate vice president of the TSU SMART Innovation Global Center that oversees the initiative, said faculty leaders from the HBCUs will participate in Apple’s ongoing Community Education Initiative Learning Series to learn about coding and app design and 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,” said Melton.

As part of its Community Education Initiative and this partnership, Apple is supporting HBCUs with equipment, resources, and professional development to help the new centers become the pre-eminent HBCU C² Centers in bringing coding and creativity to their communities.

In June, Apple launched a new Racial Equity and Justice Initiative focused on challenging systemic barriers to opportunity for communities of color by advancing education, economic equality, and criminal justice reform efforts.

”Apple is committed to working alongside communities of color to advance educational equity,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “We see this expansion of our Community Education Initiative and partnership with HBCUs as another step toward helping Black students realize their dreams and solve the problems of tomorrow.”

Earlier this year, TSU held a virtual HBCU C²summit, bringing together nearly 300 educators from across the HBCU community. The goal of the program was to share best practices and hear from colleagues about workforce development, connecting with their communities, and to bring coding to students of all ages.

To learn more about TSU’s HBCU C²initiative, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/hbcuc2/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Featured, FEATURED, Uncategorized

TSU uses national coding hub to help Apple deepen partnerships with HBCUs, bridge technology gap in underserved communities

July 23, 2020 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is helping Apple deepen its existing partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities by using its national coding hub to reach even more HBCUs, allowing them to expand coding and creativity opportunities to their own communities.

TSU President Glenda Glover

Apple announced it is adding 10 more HBCU regional coding centers that will serve as technology hubs for their campuses and broader communities. This effort is part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative, designed to bring coding, creativity, and workforce development opportunities to learners of all ages. TSU ~~now~~ serves as the national hub for training and providing support to educators from these institutions.

“Tennessee State University is proud to be a national hub for this great initiative, as we give HBCU students and their communities access to an opportunity to expand their knowledge and gain important workforce development skills,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “Coding and app development are a growing part of the global workforce, and we want to help make sure people of color, especially our students, are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be competitive, and successful.”

The tech giant has been working with TSU for the past two years to launch and expand the school’s HBCU C² initiative, which brings coding and creativity experiences to all 100-plus HBCUs.

Ten HBCUs, which have been working alongside Apple and Tennessee State University for the past year, will now become hubs to promote coding in their broader communities: Arkansas Baptist College, Central State University, Claflin University, Dillard University, Fisk University, Lawson State Community College, Morehouse College, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University at Shreveport, and Tougaloo College. Apple expects to double the number of HBCU partners by the end of this summer, expanding the network of schools offering coding, creativity, and career pathway opportunities.

Dr. Robbie Melton is TSU’s associate vice president of the SMART Global Technology Innovation Center and dean of Graduate and Professional Studies. She is also a champion of the HBCU C² initiative. She is proud of what the program has already accomplished, and sees unlimited potential for the future.

Tennessee State University’s Dr. Robbie Melton has been working alongside Apple for the past two years to bring coding and creativity to HBCU peer institutions, with goals to reach every HBCU. (TSU Media Relations)

“In two years, I want all HBCUs to be coding and creating,” said Melton. “In two years, you’re going to see many more people of color entering the STEM workforce — and in two years we’re going to double the number of Black women in technology through this program.”

Each hub is designed to create a multiplier effect, building capacity at the HBCUs that extends beyond the campus through partnerships with local K-12 schools, community partners, local governments, and other community stakeholders. Melton views the added regional hubs as a key element of the program’s holistic approach.

“A hub is a core of empowerment that goes beyond the campus,” said Melton. “It’s about going into the community, into the home, into businesses so that when people code, it becomes part of their lives and it’s helping them solve big problems. This initiative is going to help those who have been broken through COVID-19, broken through racism — and it’s going to empower them through knowledge and skills.”

Last month, Apple launched a new Racial Equity and Justice Initiativefocused on challenging systemic barriers to opportunity for communities of color by advancing education, economic equality, and criminal justice reform efforts.

TSU held a recent virtual HBCU C²summit, bringing together nearly 300 educators from across the HBCU community. The goal of the program was to share best practices and hear from colleagues about workforce development, connecting with their communities, and to bring coding to students of all ages.

To learn more about TSU’s HBCU C²initiative, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/hbcuc2/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State UniversityFounded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Featured, FEATURED, Uncategorized

TSU, Apple coding course gives alumni, community a chance to retool amid pandemic

June 17, 2020 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is giving its alumni and others affected by the coronavirus an opportunity to retool. The University is partnering with Apple to help those individuals learn how to code and design apps.

The “Everyone Can Code and Create” course will be offered online in the fall through TSU’s National Center for Smart Technology Innovations, which is supported by the tech giant. Scholarship applicants must show how they have been impacted by COVID-19.

Michael Davis Jr. and his wife, Keyosha, to attend coding class in the fall

Dr. Robbie Melton, the center’s director, says many people have lost their jobs or been furloughed as a result of the virus. The course gives them an opportunity to retool or gain a new skill so that they can get back into the workforce and be even more competitive, says Melton.

“TSU is the only institution that is taking what I call a comprehensive approach to help all of our stakeholders of alumni, faculty, students, staff and community,” she says. “We’re not leaving anyone out, due to the fact that COVID-19 hasn’t left anyone out.”

Michael Davis, Jr., a science teacher with Metro Nashville Public Schools, says he and his wife plan to take the class in the fall. In addition to improving his own skill set, Davis says he wants to pass what he learns on to his students.

“This is so beneficial for me as an educator because I can share this with my students,” says Davis. “It’s so important that they learn this.”

His wife, Keyosha, is a stay-at-home mother with their seven children, three of whom have special needs.

“When my husband told me about this opportunity, I thought, this could help me finish my degree where I can be at home with my kids, and I can also teach them,” says Keyosha, who currently has an associate’s and is planning to get her bachelor’s at TSU. “I can teach my 8-year-old, who loves STEM.”

TSU and Apple launched the “Everyone Can Code and Create” initiative last year through the university’s National Center for Smart Technology Innovations. Another initiative offered by the Center is a dual enrollment program with three major school districts in Tennessee that offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn college credits while enrolled in high school.

Dr. Robbie Melton, director of TSU’s National Center for Smart Technology Innovations, assists youth learning to code. (TSU Media Relations)

“We are positioned to provide coding and creativity on site and online, for high school students to have a pathway to our computer science and “Everyone Can Code and Create” curriculums at TSU,” says Melton.

Here’s a list of some online programs at TSU for Fall 2020, beginning with the coding courses:

PROFESSIONAL STUDIES-DEVELOPMENT

Apple Part I: ‘Everyone Can Code & Everyone Can Create’ – App Design and Prototype Development
Apple Part II: ‘Everyone Can Code & Everyone Can Create’ – Advanced App Prototype Design
The Rise of eSports and Gamification in Higher Education

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Criminal Justice
BS in Health Information Management
BS in Interdisciplinary Studies

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Graduate Certificate in Applied Geospatial Information Systems
Graduate Certificate in Educational Technology
Graduate Certificate in Health Administration and Planning

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership with concentrations in: Higher Education Leadership and Pre K-12 Administration
Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Instructional Leadership with concentrations in: Licensure and Non-Licensure
Executive Master of Business Administration (Hybrid)

For information about more programs, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/online/.

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU Kicks off Dual Enrollment Program with Apple Smart Technology Partnership

January 22, 2020 Emmanuel Freeman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – High school students looking to get an early start on college now have a home at Tennessee State University.

Dr. Robbie Melton, TSU Associate Vice President for Smart Technology and Innovation, conducts a coding class at Kenwood High School in Clarksville, Tennessee. (Submitted Photo)

Through its National Center for Smart Technology, the university has launched a dual enrollment program with three major school districts in the state that offers high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn college credits while enrolled in high school.

Participating school districts are Clarksville Montgomery County School System, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and Shelby County Schools.

Jalen Driskell and Larry Perry, 12^th graders from Shelby County’s Trezevant High School in Memphis, are excited about the opportunity to earn early college credits. The two were among 130 students also from Pearl Cohn High, and Clarksville’s Kenwood High School, who participated in the Apple Coding class last fall as part of the dual enrollment program.

Officials from the TSU Office of Smart Technology and Innovation join faculty and staff of Kenwood High School to kick off the TSU-Apple-Kenwood Coding initiative. (Submitted Photo)

“I learned a lot from the initiative, especially working as a team,” said Driskell, who hopes to major in engineering after high school. “Being enrolled allows me to move ahead in receiving my college credits and to do better with time management.”

For Perry, he said the coding class was a lot of fun and increased his interest in doing more college work.

“Coding allowed me to gain the experience with talking to others versus typing,” he said. “Receiving this college credit allows me to be prepared for my future.”

Dr. Robbie Melton, TSU’s associate vice president for Smart Technology and Innovation, said with the Apple partnership, TSU has created an amazing opportunity for high school students to start coding and creating.

“All over the state, as well as all over the country, students are interested in coding and creativity,” said Melton. “With this dual enrollment program, it is unique in the fact that students across the state of Tennessee can now embrace the skills of coding and creativity through dual enrollment. We are positioned to provide coding and creativity on site and online, for high school students to have a pathway to our computer science and “Everyone Can Code and Create” curriculums at TSU.”

Dr. Johnnie C. Smith is the executive director of the TSU Dual Enrollment Partnerships. She said students who participate in the program must meet the TSU admission’s requirement. They must be beginning juniors with a GPA of 2.75 or better, and must have recommendations from their principals or guidance counselors to participate. In addition to the Apple coding curriculum, she said the program offers general education courses, as well as engineering and English composition. The courses are offered onsite and online.

“Like all other schools in the state, we are going after courses we know will count in different schools, like general education courses,” Smith said. “We are targeting students within the state of Tennessee. They will gain college credits to get a jump start on college and also use those credits to meet their high school requirements for graduation. We are really excited about the possibility of what this program can do at the institution.”

Some of the teachers whose students participated in the fall 2019 program said it was very beneficial and definitely makes the whole dual enrollment initiative more interesting.

“This program benefited our students by giving them the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of coding and inspired them to create something unique for a problem in their community,” said Abraham Wolfe, a high school AP Physics and Robotics teacher in the Clarksville Montgomery County School System.

Quanita Adams, a high school math teacher with Metro Nashville Public Schools, said, “The students enrolled in DE Coding this semester have tapped into a world that they may have not experienced elsewhere and produced amazing products in a short time.”

Herbert Vannostrand, a high school computer science teacher with the Shelby County Schools, agreed.

“The Apple Coding curriculum provided my students with a clear, concise, up-to-date and fun program to learn the Swift programming language, as well as bringing relevant up-to-date information about how coding can affect change in their lives,” Vannostrand said. “I recommend this program to any computer science teacher and I am ready to teach the course again next year.”

Dual enrollment is just one of many initiatives undertaken in the last year under the TSU-Apple partnership. In July, TSU launched HBCU C² “Everyone Can Code and Create,” a national initiative supported by Apple, which seeks to bring coding experiences to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and underserved communities. To date, TSU has impacted 32 HBCUs with the HBCU C² Initiative. Also, in July, TSU launched the first community “Everyone Can Code and Create” initiative for youth on its Avon Williams Campus. The initiative is also part of the National Center for Smart Technology Innovations.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State UniversityFounded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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President Glover addresses student success, unveils ‘Decade of Excellence’ platform at spring Faculty-Staff Institute

January 7, 2020 Lucas Johnson

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University President Glenda Glover on Monday lauded faculty and staff for their service, and assured them the institution is poised to accomplish great feats for 2020, and beyond.

Dr. Glenda Glover

Dr. Glover spoke at the spring Faculty and Staff Institute, a customary State of the University address held to commence the start of each academic school year. Her address commended employees, and touted fiscal strength and student success.

In thanking employees for their hard work, she pledged her continued support, and encouraged them to strive to make the university better.

“I’m here for you,” said Glover. “I just ask that you show up every day and do your best.”

She reminded them that includes doing all they can to help students succeed.

Glover noted that from 2018 to 2019, the GPA of incoming freshmen increased from 3.10 to 3.14. The university also implemented a targeted recruitment plan for high school students with a 3.0 or better to improve retention and graduation rates. Students’ GPA has steadily risen since TSU increased admission standards in 2016. All students must now have a 2.5 GPA and a 19 on the ACT for admission. The previous admission scores were 2.25 or a 19 on the ACT for in-state students, and a 2.5 or 19 ACT for out-of-state students.

The president also stressed the university’s fiscal soundness and plans to continue the trend. She discussed an endowment increase of $19.3 million over a five-year period, and a net increase of $15.7 million for reserve and endowment funds during the same time span.

Over the next 10 years, in what she called TSU’s Decade of Excellence, Glover said she envisions an endowment of $150 million and $100 million in reserves. She would also like to see TSU be the top HBCU in the nation, with an enrollment of 12,000.

The president also talked about TSU’s sanction by its accrediting body and gave a detailed update on the “plan of action” to address the issue. She emphasized to the several hundred in attendance that it is important to dispel any misconceptions and that TSU never lost accreditation.

Corrective steps taken so far under the plan include the university retaining a nationally known firm with expertise on accreditation matters and hiring a full-time director of assessment and accreditation to guide the process internally.

“We are 100 percent confident that TSU will do all that is required to prepare and submit the documentation that is necessary to remove us from probation,” said Glover. “Everyone is working together to get this done.”

TSU’s landscape will change over the next few months when construction of the new health sciences building is complete. The president shared the latest information on that, as well as planned construction of two new residence halls. Groundbreakings were held for the three buildings, along with a welcome center, during homecoming last year.

Glover also touted a major accomplishment for TSU in 2019 that is carrying over to the New Year: its coding partnership with tech giant Apple, Inc., which is drawing global attention.

In July, TSU launched HBCU C²“Everyone Can Code and Create,” which seeks to bring coding experiences to historically black colleges and universities and underserved communities. The initiative is part of TSU’s newly established National Center for Smart Technology Innovations, created through the HBCU C² Presidential Academy.

The undertaking to bridge the technology divide has not gone unnoticed. President Glover told the audience that the university and Apple’s corporate office have received several inquiries about the program.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is among the initiative’s champions.

“Anything is possible when people come together with a shared vision,” Cook tweeted. “Thank you to @TSUedu for your leadership and enthusiasm in bringing coding to your community and HBCUs nationwide!”

The institute marks the beginning of the academic semester. Students return on Jan. 13.

For more information about TSU’s coding initiative, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/hbcuc2/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State UniversityFounded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.