NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee State University will begin offering an online app design and coding class in two African countries this fall. Robbie Melton runs the historically Black university's coding program.
She says the idea is to get students interested in STEM careers and increase the number of Black students entering those fields. App design and coding courses in Africa will be offered at schools in Liberia and South Africa that are run by the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
“Tennessee State University is proud to be a part of this initiative that seeks to reach across international borders and give students an opportunity to expand their knowledge, and gain important career development skills," President Glenda Glover said in a press release. “Coding and app design are a large part of the global workforce, and we want to help make sure people of color, everywhere, are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be competitive, and successful. These are largely high school students that have the potential to become a part of the TSU student body.”
TSU already offers the program to more than 30 historically Black schools in the United States. More than 2,000 students have participated since the program launched in 2019.
