Industry Partnerships

Cisco to Provide Technology, Training and Financial Support to HBCUs

• By Rhea Kelly
• 06/14/21

In partnership with the Student Freedom Initiative and Computex Technology Solutions, Cisco is making a $150 commitment to support student and institutional success in historically Black colleges and universities. The goal: to "power an inclusive future for all" and promote equity in the workforce, according to a company blog post.

Aspects of the initiative include:

• An "Access to Education" endowment, established by the Student Freedom Initiative with a $50 million anchor investment from Cisco, will support HBCU students in STEM fields. The funding will be available in Fall 2021 to students at Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Prairie View A&M University, Tougaloo College, Tuskegee University and Xavier University of Louisiana.
• Cisco is providing $100 million in hardware, software and services to modernize the technology capabilities and support compliance efforts at all HBCUs, with installation services donated by Computex Technology Solutions.
• Cisco's IT education program, the Cisco Networking Academy, will be available to all HBCUs, along with student recruitment support and free instructor training.
• The Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge is adding a $50,000 HBCU Startup Prize, which will provide funding for early-stage technology entrepreneurs "solving the world's most pressing social and environmental problems."
• Cisco is partnering with SkillsCommons and MERLOT to promote the use of open educational resources for online courses in HBCUs.
• A partnership between Cisco and Internet2 will provide HBCUs with increased access to research and investment opportunities.
• Cisco's HBCU Advisory Board, made up of leaders from within the company, will share best practices and communicate investment progress for HBCUs.

"This is not a 'one-and-done' effort," noted Maria Martinez, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Cisco, in the blog post. "Through the HBCU investments made today, we are giving the African American/Black community the tools to be resilient and successful long-term. With the benefits created by these investment funds, students can be successful for many years to come. It's a gesture that reinforces our ongoing commitment to this community — to be seen, heard, valued, and invested in as we work to help build a more inclusive society and future for all."