Atlanta HBCUs Join Forces for Data Science Initiative

The Atlanta University Center Consortium is getting a major investment from the UnitedHealth Group to prepare students for jobs in the data analytics field.

  • By Sara Friedman
  • 07/09/19

With the number of data professionals in the U.S. expected to grow to 2.7 million by 2020, the Atlanta University Center Consortium is launching the AUCC Data Science Initiative to provide students with technical classes on data science and data analysis in order to give them a competitive edge in the jobs marketplace. The institutions involved in this initiative are Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College.

This collaborative effort is being funded by a $8.25 million investment from UnitedHealth Group, a healthcare company based in Minnesota. The Data Science Initiative will provide 9,000 students with the ability to learn more about data analytics through coursework. Certificate programs focused on data analytics and data science will also be developed.

“Many universities have refocused existing programs or developed new efforts to respond to the need for this, yet these responses are still insufficient based on projected demand,” said AUCC executive director Todd Greene. “The UnitedHealth Group funding will help to establish the base for this broad initiative, including hiring an accomplished director.

More information about the work of the AUCC can be found here.

About the Author

Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe covering education policy and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.

Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.

Friedman can be contacted at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.

Click here for previous articles by Friedman.


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