Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by cmn32480 on Monday March 27 2017, @12:17PM   Printer-friendly
from the HBCU.GOOG dept.

Howard University, a historically black institution located in Washington, D.C., will open a branch located within Google's campus/HQ in Mountain View, California:

Silicon Valley's leading tech companies have long been stumped over how to diversify. Despite efforts to recruit and retain black and Latino engineers, the numbers haven't budged much, if at all. Google is trying a new tack. The company announced Thursday it is creating a college campus at its Mountain View headquarters that's geared toward students at historically black colleges and universities.

The campus, called Howard West, will launch this summer in partnership with Howard University of Washington, D.C. About 25 to 30 rising Howard juniors and seniors majoring in computer science will qualify for the program's first 12-week program, which will be taught by senior Google engineers and Howard faculty. "Howard West will continue Howard's tradition of providing historically unprecedented access to opportunity, only now with a 21st century twist: Literal real estate at the center of the digital economy," Bonita Stewart, Google's vice president of global partnerships, said in a statement.

Experts believe the partnership is the first of its kind within the tech industry. "At face value, it seems like Google is invested in this," said Jane Stout, an official with the Computing Research Association, a Washington group that studies diversity issues in tech. Google is "putting their money where their mouth is. They are trying something that is pretty revolutionary," Stout said. The program will take place at existing Google buildings. Students will not need to pay extra tuition to attend Howard West and will be given a stipend and support for housing, provided by Howard, which is well aware of the sky-high rental prices in Silicon Valley. The intention is for Howard West to be open to students at other historically black universities and colleges starting in the summer of 2018.

Google announcement. Also at CNN Money.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 27 2017, @12:35PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 27 2017, @12:35PM (#484583)

    We'll grow our own Negroes!

    Starting Score:    0  points
    Moderation   -1  
       Troll=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Troll' Modifier   0  

    Total Score:   -1  
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 27 2017, @10:04PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 27 2017, @10:04PM (#484907)

    Black *AND* Brown folk look the same.

    Apparently Howard University agrees!