Dillard to host Center for Coding and Creativity
Elliott Hudson '20 works with a student as part of Apple’s Community Education Initiative.
Photo: Apple.
For Immediate Release
July 16, 2020
NEW ORLEANS— Dillard University will become a Center for Coding and Creativity as part of Apple’s Community Education
Initiative and Tennessee State University’s HBCU C2 initiative designed to bring coding and creativity experiences to historically black
colleges and universities (HBCUs) and their communities. Later this month, faculty leaders from Dillard will participate in Apple’s virtual
Community Education Initiative Coding Academy to learn about coding and app development
using Apple’s comprehensive curriculum, which utilizes its easy-to-learn Swift programming
language.
“Apple’s Community Education Initiative partnership with Dillard University will give us the opportunity to bring coding and creativity to our students and the New Orleans community,” Dennis Sigur, professor of Computer Science at Dillard shared. “Each year over 300,000 new jobs in technology are added but the numbers of minorities in technology jobs are decreasing. Dillard University’s Center for Coding and Creativity will expose a new generation to coding and app development, which will develop problem-solving skills, computational skills, facilitate creativity and career opportunities. These are exciting days at Fair Dillard!”
As part of its Community Education Initiative, Apple is supporting Dillard University with equipment and professional development to help the university become the preeminent HBCU C2 Center to bring coding and creativity to New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Yolanda Page, vice president of Academic Affairs noted in a statement: “Dillard is honored to have been selected as an HBCU C2 Center. Coding is a high demand skill that can lead to many employment opportunities for our students and diversity in that workforce. As well, we look forward to teaching this important skill to New Orleans areas students as a means of introducing them to computer science and technology.”
Dillard University’s STEM department rivals other higher-education programs in the country due to its attentive yet cutting-edge education. The University continues to be a pillar of faith and education in the historically Black colleges and universities sphere. Data shows Dillard alumni effortlessly increases their financial donations, allowing current students to experience a cutting-edge education and exposure to network with trailblazers in the career industries they are most interested in.
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Dillard University, located in New Orleans at 2601 Gentilly Blvd., is a private four-year liberal arts historically black institution with a history dating back to 1869. For more information, please visit www.dillard.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter, Facebook @DU1869 and Instagram: Dillard University.
