West Virginia State University News July 28, 2022 WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY JOINS GROW WITH GOOGLE’S HBCU CAREER READINESS PROGRAM West Virginia State University joins Grow with Google’s HBCU Career Readiness Program to train 100,000 Black College Students In Digital Skills by 2025 Today, West Virginia State University announced its participation in the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program. The initiative helps Black college students at over 30 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) prepare for the workforce through digital skills training and career workshops. Through a $3 million investment in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the program will train 100,000 Black college students by 2025. “West Virginia State University (WVSU) is excited to partner with Alphabet’s Grow With Google Career Readiness Program,” said WVSU President Ericke S. Cage. “Innovative partnerships like this provide our students tremendous opportunities to further enhance their skills and to compete for and excel in jobs of the New Economy. WVSU is extremely appreciative of Alphabet’s support and commitment to America’s HBCU’s.” TMCF—the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community—has a track record of successfully connecting HBCU students with scholarships, training and jobs as they navigate college and careers. Its long history of on-the-ground work ensures the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program is tailored to meet student needs. “A central part of the mission of TMCF is to prepare the next generation of workforce talent. Our partnership with Google enables this mission and ensures students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities are positioned to compete for meaningful careers,” said Dr. Harry L. Williams, President and CEO of Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Started in 2020, the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program provides HBCU career centers with funding and a semester-long in-person and online digital skills program. The program combines existing Grow with Google workshops with custom job seeker content for Black students, including design thinking, project management, and professional brand building. TMCF, which contributes to the program’s design, works with HBCU career centers to onboard the program. Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program builds on Google’s ongoing investments in HBCU students and commitment to creating pathways to tech. The company also recently announced a $6 million investment<https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/diversity/black-history-month-2022/> in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund<https://www.tmcf.org/> and United Negro College Fund (UNCF)<https://uncf.org/ways-to-donate?gclid=CjwKCAiAl-6PBhBCEiwAc2GOVBJymFbTUEEkVoG7VW6fmTcuf4hVO2A8hif2riCslDRBYgiADZCHvhoCrCcQAvD_BwE>, building on the momentum of their $50 million grant to 10 HBCUs<https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/diversity/50-million-hbcus-address-diversity-gap-tech/> in 2021. Since 2013, the Google In Residence<https://buildyourfuture.withgoogle.com/programs/googleinresidence/> program has placed Google software engineers at HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) as faculty. The company also hosts Tech Exchange<https://buildyourfuture.withgoogle.com/programs/tech-exchange/>, a virtual student exchange program that teaches HBCU and HSU students applied computer science courses. “Every student should have the opportunity to learn digital skills for today's in-demand jobs," said Tia McLaurin, Community Engagement Manager, Google. "We're proud to work with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to bring the Grow with Google HBCU Career Readiness Program to West Virginia State University to help more students prepare for the workforce and thrive as they start their careers." For more information on Grow with Google’s HBCU Career Readiness program, please visit this website<https://www.tmcf.org/students-alumni/corp-scholar-programs/grow-with-google-hbcu-program>. Follow West Virginia State University<http://www.facebook.com/wvstateu> on Facebook, Instagram @wvsu_official<https://www.instagram.com/wvsu_official/>, and Twitter @WVStateU<https://twitter.com/WVStateU>. ABOUT GROW WITH GOOGLE Grow with Google<https://grow.google/> was started in 2017 to help Americans grow their skills, careers, and businesses. It provides training, tools, and expertise to help small business owners, veterans and military families, jobseekers and students, educators, startups, and developers. Since Grow with Google’s inception, it has helped more than eight million Americans develop new skills. Grow with Google has a network of more than 8,500 partner organizations like libraries, schools, small business development centers, chambers of commerce, and nonprofits to help people coast-to-coast. ABOUT THE THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the PK-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit: tmcf.org<https://www.tmcf.org/>. Sandra M. Phoenix, Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance 678-210-5801 ext. 101 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Seek justice, honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. 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