Published By Yahoo Finance Published On January 20, 2023 ATLANTA, GA, Jan. 20, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, UNCF (United Negro College Fund) and Excelencia in Education announced the successful conclusion of Leveraging Big Data to Achieve Equity, an initiative designed to enhance research capabilities at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Through the initiative, over 40 HBCU and HSI faculty and staff members completed training in a three-cohort program, facilitated by UNCF and partner organization Excelencia in Education. Leveraging the Administrative Data Research Facility, a platform developed by Coleridge Initiative to promote access and discovery of microdata from federal agencies. Trainings were led by both Coleridge Initiative and representatives from participating institutions. "Big data is already a game changer in higher education, but for too long Black colleges and universities have not had access to the systems that lead to policy changes,” said Ed Smith-Lewis, UNCF vice president of strategic partnerships and institutional programs and leader of UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building (ICB). “What UNCF is seeking to do is ensure HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions are positioned to drive projects that create new knowledge and understanding about the effectiveness of higher education,” Smith-Lewis said. “Our partnership with UNCF is a demonstration of what is possible when we invest in and prioritize the capacity of faculty to lead research that can transform higher education for students of color,” said Deborah Santiago, CEO and co-founder of Excelencia in Education. “Creating research opportunities for faculty at the institutions educating the majority of our Hispanic and Black students should be a national priority,” Santiago said. . . . Publication URL See Full Article
