When Morehouse College students return to campus next fall, there will be a new Google-funded computer lab equipped with cutting-edge technology for them to explore.
The tech giant and historically black university unveiled the Google Annex technology hub on Monday, touting it as a place for Morehousemen to learn, grow and innovate.
“The technology industry is constantly evolving and changing, so we need to make sure our students have the technology to keep up with the times,” said Ernest Holmes, Google's technology program manager. “There is,” he said. and Morehouse alumni who helped spearhead the new space.
Last fall, Google announced plans to donate $1 million to Morehouse and transform old classrooms into new innovation hubs.
Melonie Parker, Google's chief diversity officer, said the tech giant spent about $100,000 renovating the space and installed another $100,000 worth of technology.
The Google annex at Morehouse is the second such space the tech giant has built at an HBCU, and Parker said the company plans to build more. He added that the company works closely with schools to determine what students specifically need and designs spaces to fill those gaps.
Alfred Watkins, head of Morehouse's computer science department, said the classrooms in the Google annex were little-used computer labs with outdated technology. It is now a multi-purpose space, serving as a classroom and collaborative computer lab for students and researchers.
“We felt we owed it to our students to provide the best technology they could use while they were here and be familiar with when they left,” Watkins said.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
Google has installed 10 high-performance Alienware desktops. Watkins said students will be able to run programs that will help them learn about artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data science. It's powerful enough to host live streams of games, he added.
“Morehouse hasn't had a computer like this since I started school, so it's really amazing to see one like this,” said Elijah Truitt, a senior computer science student. “This is better than the computer I just built, so I'm a little jealous.”
Google also provided other gadgets, including 10 MacBooks, Smartboards, mobile charging stations, cameras that students can use for live streaming, and smart speakers and lights with Morehouse's signature call-and-response.
“OK Google, whose house is this?” Holmes asked the speaker during the demonstration.
“Morehouse,” the speaker answered, changing the lights to paint the room in the school's maroon color.
It also has a university-specific design. The back wall of the lab features a mural by Atlanta-area artist and Spelman College professor Shanequa Gay that includes Morehouse written in binary. Student art lines another wall.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
Watkins sees the classroom as a bridge between the university's various STEM fields, both figuratively and literally. The room is in a hallway that connects his two buildings: Merrill Hall, which houses the chemistry department, and Tech Tower, which houses computer science and software engineering.
Alumnus Jonathan Banks, who majored in physics, uses code for many of his math problems, and said the department wanted to collaborate more with computer science, and was excited about the opportunity to do so now. Told.
“In fact, we tend to actually want to work with them in terms of solving high-level math problems or trying to understand specific solutions or theories that we've discussed in class.” It brought us all together,” said Banks, 23.
Credit: Ben Hendren
Credit: Ben Hendren
But while another alumnus, Tyler Green, won't be able to enjoy the space himself, he is inspired by what Holmes was able to do for his alma mater just five years after graduating.
“It's a challenge for me to come back sooner because Morehouse has done something for me that I never would have had if I had gone to another facility,” said Green, 21. Ta. “It's really beautiful to see that legacy continue and fill in what's missing, finding something that's missing. That's what I want to do in the future.”
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