Cal Poly Pomona Launches AI and Innovation Center

In an effort to advance AI innovation, foster community engagement, and prepare students for careers in STEM fields and business, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona has teamed up with AI, cloud, and advisory services provider Avanade to launch a new Avanade AI & Innovation Center. Located in the university's Innovation Village research park, the facility will serve as a center for AI research, collaboration, and learning, and bridge the gap between academia and industry, according to a news announcement.

The center has already hired recent Cal Poly Pomona graduates as its first five team members, and plans to provide more real-world opportunities for students and alumni in the coming years. It will host AI-applied research groups, sponsor student events such as hackathons and workshops, showcase cutting-edge innovations, and share industry trends, the announcement said.

The university has previously worked with Avanade to establish a number of initiatives aimed at preparing students to be future-ready, including the Mitch Hill Center for Digital Innovation, Avanade Scholarship program, and FUEL conference.

"The Avanade AI & Innovation Center is a testament to our continued commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders with the skills and experiences they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving tech landscape," said Gord Mawhinney, Americas president at Avanade, in a statement. "Through our decade-long partnership with Cal Poly Pomona, we are not only advancing AI innovation but also together creating opportunities for underserved communities to access technology and career pathways."

"This partnership with Avanade exemplifies our mission to foster innovation, inclusion, and excellence in preparing our students for career success. By combining our academic expertise with Avanade's industry leadership, we are creating a platform that empowers our students and faculty to shape the future of AI and harness its transformative power responsibly," commented Cal Poly Pomona President Dr. Soraya M. Coley. "We stand at the precipice of the future, and it will take the brightest minds working at the world's preeminent companies to ensure a better future for all, and that is why we are honored to be partnering with Avanade."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • cloud and circuit patterns with AI stamp

    Cloud Management Startup Launches Infrastructure Intelligence Tool

    A new AI-powered infrastructure intelligence tool from cloud management startup env0 aims to turn the fog of sprawling, enterprise-scale deployments into crisp, queryable insight, minus the spreadsheets, scripts, and late-night Slack threads.

  • From Fire TV to Signage Stick: University of Utah's Digital Signage Evolution

    Jake Sorensen, who oversees sponsorship and advertising and Student Media in Auxiliary Business Development at the University of Utah, has navigated the digital signage landscape for nearly 15 years. He was managing hundreds of devices on campus that were incompatible with digital signage requirements and needed a solution that was reliable and lowered labor costs. The Amazon Signage Stick, specifically engineered for digital signage applications, gave him the stability and design functionality the University of Utah needed, along with the assurance of long-term support.

  • geometric pattern of interconnected triangles and hexagons

    Gravyty Merges with AI-Powered Student Engagement Companies Ivy.ai and Ocelot

    Gravyty, a provider of alumni and donor engagement and fundraising solutions, has announced a merger with AI-powered student enrollment and engagement companies Ivy.ai and Ocelot. The combined company will operate under the Gravyty brand.

  • person typing on a touch screen schedule plan calendar

    2025 Tech Tactics in Education Conference Agenda Announced

    Registration is free for this fully virtual May 7 event, focused on "Thriving in the Age of AI" in K-12 and higher education.