3709C13046

Project Purpose: Shaw University's Building Bridges to Cyber Operations and Digital Equity (Building Bridges to Code) project aims to improve the learning capacity and capabilities of students who are currently enrolled at the university. It also aims to enable students to engage in supplemental learning with a hybrid learning model, and low-income students will be able to unlock the potential of digital learning with its own digital resources.

Activities: The university will focus on the improvement of broadband infrastructure to increase capacity and connectivity, while also improving reliability and availability to meet the current and future demands of students. The Building Bridges to Code team will upgrade the current infrastructure to improve its current capacity of 1 Gbps to support a 10 Gbps connection to the internet. The project team will prioritize a percentage of students deemed to be low-income to receive a personal learning device and to receive support and service for this device through the university's Information Technology department. Shaw University's project team will shift focus to creating a virtual campus for current and future students, along with upgrading technology in classrooms to enhance education delivery for both virtual and in-person students. Building Bridges to Code will fund the development and delivery of the Shaw University Center for Cyber Education and Research (C-CER) academic, outreach, and research activities. The result will be the creation of a scalable program that can place HBCU students into high-paying and long-lasting careers, while also helping to address the global demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals.

Outcomes: As a result of this project, improved broadband infrastructure will improve learning and educational attainment for both full-time and non-traditional students. The virtual campus will provide students with more flexibility, which in turn will lead to more students graduating on-time. It will also boost enrollment numbers for Shaw University, attracting more dual enrollment, non-traditional, and full-time students. The Center for Cyber Education and Research will attract more students to campus, be scalable to all HBCUs, lead to more students at Shaw, and allow more students to enter STEM and STEAM fields.

Beneficiaries: The faculty and students at Shaw University, located in Raleigh, North Carolina, will gain access to a more robust broadband infrastructure, which will allow students to connect to digital learning and to more readily access class work, classrooms, and other information around campus. Low-income students will receive access to a personal device to enable digital learning and information access.

Subrecipient Activities (if applicable): The recipient does not intend to subaward funds.

Shaw University

TO PROVIDE FEDERAL FUNDING TO ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS IN ANCHOR COMMUNITIES: FOR THE PURCHASE OF BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE OR ANY ELIGIBLE EQUIPMENT, OR TO HIRE AND TRAIN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PERSONNEL; TO FACILITATE EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING, INCLUDING THROUGH REMOTE INSTRUCTION; TO OPERATE A MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (MBE); OR TO OPERATE A TAX-EXEMPT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION. TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE LACK OF BROADBAND ACCESS, CONNECTIVITY, ADOPTION AND EQUITY AT OUR NATION¿S HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS), TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (TCUS), AND MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS (MSIS), AND IN THEIR SURROUNDING ANCHOR COMMUNITIES. TO FACILITATE EDUCATIONAL INSTRUCTION AND LEARNING, INCLUDING THROUGH REMOTE INSTRUCTION; AND TO CONSORTIA INCLUDING MBES OR TAX-EXEMPT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATIONS TO OPERATE THAT MBE OR TAX-EXEMPT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION. TO SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY BUILDING THE DIGITAL CAPACITY OF THE ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS AND FURTHERING BROADBAND ACCESS, ADOPTION, AND DIGITAL SKILLS WITHIN THOSE INSTITUTIONS AND IN THEIR SURROUNDING ANCHOR COMMUNITIES.

11.028 - Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) [DOC]

Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2399 United States

Single Zip Code

Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (NTIA-CMCPP-2021)

COVID-19 $5,072,045 (100%) percent of this Project Grant was funded by COVID-19 emergency acts including the CARES Act.
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 02/28/25 to 02/28/26.