Alabama A&M University is one of four recipients of Apple’s new Innovation Grant, designed to support HBCU Colleges of Engineering develop their silicon and hardware technologies curriculum in partnership with Apple’s experts. The three-year grant was announced as part of Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative.

The  $5 million AAMU Innovation Grant will provide funding and other support from Apple for lab space, guest lectures, scholarships and fellowships, faculty training, curriculum support, and more. This grant is part of Apple’s broader New Silicon Initiative, designed to inspire and prepare engineering students to pursue careers in cutting-edge and fast-growing core hardware technologies.

“The HBCU community is home to incredible Black talent and we are thrilled to work alongside these universities to enhance the opportunities for their students,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives. “We know many jobs of the future will be in innovative areas like silicon engineering and we want to help ensure the leaders of tomorrow have access to transformational learnings opportunities.”

“As the leader in producing minority STEM graduates in Alabama and being among the top 3 HBCUs nationally with this designation, Alabama A&M is excited about this opportunity to partner with Apple to strengthen our engineering programs and enhance our student pipeline into the workforce,” said Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr., president of AAMU.

Dr. Zhengtao (ZT) Deng, Alabama A&M University interim dean and professor of the College of Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences, said “The Apple Innovation Grant will enhance the educational objectives and student success metrics in Electrical Engineering (EE) programs and will provide opportunities for AAMU’s programs related to Apple’s New Silicon Initiative. We greatly appreciate Apple’s support to AAMU’s STEM education initiatives.”