Starting this year, students in courses like Artificial Intelligence and Data Networks and Cloud Computing will work with large language models and general AI modules that are being incorporated into classwork. Faculty members will also receive training on how to deliver the material.
The curriculum expansion is part of Tuskegee’s participation in the AWS Machine Learning University Educator Enablement Program (MLU-EEP). The national initiative, which launched in 2022 and now includes 35 universities, focuses on increasing AI and machine learning teaching capacity at community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), according to a news release announcing its launch in 2022.
At that time, AWS emphasized that Black and Latino students earned bachelor’s degrees in computer science, a common entry point for AI careers, at disproportionately low rates, accounting for less than 11 percent of computer science degrees awarded.
“However, research shows that having diverse perspectives among skilled practitioners and across the AI/ML lifecycle contributes to the development of AI/ML systems that are safe, trustworthy and have less bias,” the AWS announcement said.
The AWS program was structured to reduce those barriers by providing ready-made, industry-aligned curriculum, hands-on instructor boot camps and free cloud computing credits for students.
Through the partnership, Tuskegee computer science faculty participate in these AWS training boot camps and adopt modules developed by AWS for use in the classroom. Educators receive lecture slides, labs, exams and instructor guides developed from the same courses AWS uses internally to train its engineers. They also join professional development cohorts that include tech talks, networking events and moderated study sessions.
“By embedding AWS-powered learning directly into our programs, we are equipping our students with the skills, adaptability and confidence to thrive as innovators and leaders in a rapidly evolving technology landscape,” Tuskegee Provost Thierno Thiam said in a public statement.
Tuskegee’s involvement builds on existing strengths in technology education. The school’s cybersecurity program was ranked No. 2 in 2024 by Cybersecurity Guide. The new partnership extends that foundation into AI and links Tuskegee to the larger network of schools involved in the MLU-EEP, including other HBCUs such as Morgan State University and Morehouse College.
While the Tuskegee-AWS partnership expands access to advanced tools and training, experts caution that organizations must keep independence and sustainability in mind. Organizations should avoid “vendor lock-in,” or becoming overly dependent on a single company’s platforms or plans, according to Deloitte.
