Howard University and Bowie State Land $4M Grant to Build AI Literacy

Howard University and Bowie State University have received $4 million for an initiative to build AI literacy and produce AI-ready graduates.

The four-year program, ASCEND-AI (Advancing Student and Collaborative Educator Networks for Digital AI Integration), was funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant.

What’s the Deal with ASCEND-AI?

The project is a cross-institutional partnership between Howard University and Bowie State University. It’s designed to strengthen AI literacy, emphasizing academic integrity, ethical use, and critical evaluation of AI-generated content.

It will prepare students and faculty to work responsibly with artificial intelligence, as colleges nationwide grapple with how AI is reshaping classrooms, research, and the workforce.

ASCEND-AI is led by LaTanya Brown-Robertson (BA ’96, MA ’98, Ph.D. ’03), associate dean for academic innovation and student success in Howard’s College of Arts and Sciences.

“AI is already shaping how people learn, work, and make decisions,” she said. “The question is whether we are going to be a part of where this is going in terms of skills and jobs? We have to understand how these trends are going to affect the economic outcomes of our students, as well as our institution and our society.”

Brown-Robertson said ASCEND-AI will center on a faculty learning community model. Faculty from Howard and Bowie will receive training to integrate AI modules into existing courses, rather than treating AI as a standalone. Instructors will work collaboratively.

Infusing AI into Academic Curriculum

Howard University recently announced a new applied AI course in partnership with industry, boosting its AI footprint as an R1 research institution and giving students hands-on experience with real-world tools and ethical considerations.

“Meeting the AI challenge is a national imperative, and Howard University is answering that call in partnership with Bowie State University,” said Talitha Washington, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Academic Data Science and Analytics and co-chair of the AI Advisory Council at Howard University.

“Together, we are leading with purpose by ensuring that artificial intelligence strengthens education, upholds academic integrity, and prepares our students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

“Meeting the AI challenge is a national imperative, and Howard University is answering that call in partnership with Bowie State University,” said Talitha Washington, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Academic Data Science and Analytics and co-chair of the AI Advisory Council at Howard University.

“Together, we are leading with purpose by ensuring that artificial intelligence strengthens education, upholds academic integrity, and prepares our students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

How ASCEND-AI Will Be Operated

The partnership focuses on five areas: building AI literacy, promoting responsible AI use, detecting AI misinformation, tailoring AI instruction to disciplines, and exploring AI-driven innovation. Students are reached through coursework, applying AI concepts in class assignments as faculty redesign them.

The program hosts yearly workshops with students and faculty from both campuses, including AI-use competitions. Secondary school educators join later. Howard focuses on humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences; Bowie State emphasizes business and health sciences.

The collaboration builds on Bowie State’s faculty learning community framework, which Brown-Robertson previously helped develop during her time there. She sees the grant as a foundation. “This is a proactive move,” she said. “AI isn’t optional anymore,” she said. “It’s up to institutions like ours to shape how it’s used thoughtfully, critically, and ethically.”

ASCEND-AI will serve about 400 undergraduate and graduate students and 50 faculty members each year across both campuses, with plans to expand training to secondary school teachers beginning in the third year.

Additional information on partnering with ASCEND-AI is available here.

Main Image: Stock photo

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