The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Google recently announced new investments to increase tech opportunities for HBCU students.
Announced last week, the investment will devote approximately $2 million in funds to Morehouse College and Hampton University.
Using the $1 million in funds allotted to them, Morehouse College will build the Morehouse College Student Center. The new space will provide a computer lab to prospective STEM students with funds also dedicated to upgrading the tech of classrooms. Hampton University will also use its funds to institute newer technologies and expand infrastructure for their tech students.
“Our partners at Google and UNCF understand the importance of investing in the intellect and creativity of students of color who are on a trajectory to become future leaders and innovators in STEM,” said the president of Morehouse College, David A. Thomas, Ph.D., per a statement. “It provides an opportunity for our faculty to expand its work in preparing students to thrive in the tech ecosystem as entrepreneurs and change agents who will bring much-needed diversity to the field and the creation of emerging technologies.”
Recently, there have been increased initiatives to increase the number of Black employees in tech, where they are underrepresented. Per a recent report by McKinsey, although Black employees make up 12% of the workforce in the U.S., they occupy only 8% of tech jobs. Amongst higher levels, they occupy just 3% of technology executive positions.
McKinsey predicts that the gap will widen in the coming years as technology positions continue to open up. While tech roles are expected to increase by 14% in the next decade, the projected increase of Black employees in these tech positions is only 8%.
.@Google has strengthened its support to HBCUs through a longstanding partnership with @UNCF https://t.co/enGRC6h9Ub
— Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (@DiverseIssues) October 19, 2023
To bridge the gap, partnerships between tech companies such as Google and HBCUs are addressing the issue.
Through increased partnerships, HBCUs are producing a majority of the U.S. Black tech talents.
Per a recent study by the UNCF, although HBCUs total just 3% of the U.S. colleges and universities, they account for the education of one-fourth, or approximately 25% of Black graduates with a STEM degree. In the span of nine years, from 1995 to 2004, 46% of Black women who earned a STEM degree overall graduated from an HBCU.
“We are thrilled to partner with UNCF to continue Google’s ongoing commitment to invest in education pillars like Morehouse College and Hampton University,” said the Google Chief Diversity Officer, Melonie Parker per a statement. “By supporting these institutions, we move closer to unlocking sustainable equity for the next generation of diverse tech talent and meaningfully expand pathways to the tech industry.”
