The
challenges facing the landscape of tech innovation and economic inclusion are
difficult to ignore. In the aftermath of the Great Recession, America has come
to realize it cannot achieve its economic competiveness goals when so much of
its talented landscape is producing so little.
UNCF (the United
Negro College Fund) hosted the 2nd National HBCU (Historically Black College
Universities) Innovation Summit at Stanford University and San Jose Marriot
Hotel, November 13 - November 17, 2014. The Summit is an outgrowth of the
UNCF-based HBCU Startup and Innovation Initiative launched as part of the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Tech Inclusion Initiative
two years ago.
The theme of this
year’s Summit is Defining Pathways for Success in the Tech Industry, and the
agenda focused on identifying best practices for computer science education and
training, tech-workforce development as well as university-based innovation,
commercialization and entrepreneurship.
On
November 17th, Dr. Persis Drell, Dean, Stanford University, School of Engineering,
gave opening remarks and spoke candidly saying that while the students felt
included, there was little engagement between them. Dr. Drell is the first female Dean of the
engineering school and also the first to be hired from 'outside' the
university. According to Dr. Drell, there is work to be done in the areas of inclusivity
and engagement among the students as they have exceptional talents that the
university is eager to tap into.
Beverly
Daniel Tatum, President of Spellman College, moderated one of the panels which
included representatives from Chevron, Facebook, Texas Instruments, Google,
SpaceX and Sodexo. Dr. Tatum was very
good at drilling down answers to ensure each panelist shared specific examples
of what their respective companies were doing to address the lack of diversity
and inclusion of African Americans Nicholas Leach from Chevron stated that the majority
of its contribution in this area are funds donated to UNCF to address the issue
and they also had a University Partnership Program with several HBCU's. Maxine Williams from Facebook stated that in
her travels to many college campus advocating for STEM education, she realized
the limited knowledge that students had around which kinds of jobs were
available in the technology field. In an
effort to educate students and others, Ms. Williams informed that Facebook has
recently posted interviews on their website to be more transparent about what
to expect during an interview and this was also a way to inform on the various
jobs available in the field and at Facebook.
Cedric Brown, Kapor Center for Social Impact
I
was very excited about the remarks from Professor Ayodele Thomas, who is the
first Black woman to receive a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford
University. Professor Thomas talked
about the many PhD programs at the university that are completely paid for by
the school. These, of course, are highly
competitive opportunities, but to know there are programs of this caliber where
students receive a financial stipend and can attain an education by one of the
top Ivy League schools in the country, was a THRILL! I feel something 'bubbling' up in me. Imagine
that!
The
conversation and the work continues and it will take efforts similar to these
forums and others to continue calling accountability to the carpet and
following-up to ensure the needle continues to movs towards a much more diverse
and inclusive society. Not just in the
technology space, but throughout corporate America in all areas, from the Board
rooms, to the C-Suites and within those who hold the last words on recruitment/hiring
strategies. We understand it's one thing
to be 'invited to the party' and another 'to be asked to dance at the party',
and we need to move the dial on much more dancing.
Y'Anad
Burrell, Board VP, California Diversity Council, San Francisco Chapter
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