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FVSU Partners with Global HBCU Headquarters for Innovation

by Pamela Berry-Johnson

Posted on Jan 13, 2021 at 0:00 AM

Fort Valley State University is proud to announce its partnership 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. FVSU will collaborate with Propel Center and the entire HBCU community to bring leadership and career development programming to its students.

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.

The first-of-its-kind initiative will serve as a hub for all 100+ HBCUs, and is designed to connect students and faculty from across the community and provide them with the knowledge, skills, tools and resources necessary to transform our nation's talent pipeline and workforce. Curriculum options will include artificial intelligence and machine learning, agricultural technologies, social justice, entertainment arts, app development, augmented reality, design and creativity, career preparation, and entrepreneurship tracks.

FVSU President Paul Jones said the Propel Center initiative provides a wonderful opportunity to provide students with vital resources and to enhance FVSU's 21st-Century learning opportunities.

"More than ever, our graduates are entering into a world where technology will play a vital role," Jones said. "It's important that we continue to engage in opportunities like the Propel Center for our students to be at the forefront of embracing those technological shifts."

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.

"The HBCU community is a tremendous engine of Black creativity, entrepreneurship, and inclusive opportunity," said Lisa Jackson, Apple's Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. "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."

"These investments are critical as we begin to truly scale Black innovation ecosystems," said Anthony Oni, chairman, Ed Farm. "By leveraging technology and partnerships to connect students with unique learning opportunities, we can lift up the talent that already exists at these institutions of higher learning and accelerate their development. In doing so, we will have a hand in shaping the workforce of the future "” and the leaders of tomorrow."

Additional information on Propel Center can be found at PropelCenter.org.

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