Hampton University has been awarded a planning grant to work with Norfolk State University and Virginia State University to examine why minority students at their three institutions do not pursue graduate study in information technology (IT). Preliminary graduation and alumni data of the computer science (CS) and computer information systems (CIS) majors from the three participating institutions show that there is a substantial gap in the number of students pursuing graduate study in these disciplines. Planning activities will include the identification of interventions addressing specific critical needs, and the creation of a repository of best practices.
The intellectual merit of this project lies in the development of a comprehensive plan for minority recruitment and retention in IT by incorporating new and known best practices into a program to prepare, mentor and track African-American IT students throughout college, graduate school, and initial job placement. The broader impacts of the project lie in its potential to generate information on how to increase the number of African-Americans pursuing IT majors and IT careers.
