School:Shaw University

Shaw University Brief History

Shaw University is a non-profit private Baptist historically black university known as the 1st HBCU in the South. Henry Martin Tupper founded the university on December 1st, 1865. Shaw University's innovation and entrepreneurship aspects are up and coming and are currently aimed toward students. An example would be our BearsConnect app, created to connect students with other students and be aware of the different events and opportunities on campus. The student body at Shaw University's campus displays entrepreneurship among the campus by hosting student vendor villages annually. The Student Government Association, in effect, usually hosts student vendor villages to allow students to demonstrate their businesses and sell their products.

As the oldest HBCU in the South, Shaw University can be considered a leader and trendsetter. The first to have a four-year medical program. The first historically black college in the nation to open its doors to women and the first historically black college in North Carolina to be granted an "A" rating by the State Department of Public Instruction. Shaw's student body consists of students representing over 30 states and numerous foreign countries. The university has multiple undergraduate degrees, such as Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Social Work. In addition, it offers graduate-level degrees, leading to the Master of Divinity, the Master of Arts in Christian Education, and the Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction-Early Childhood Education. Their accredited programs include kinesiotherapy, social work, divinity, and teacher education.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

As a way to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, Shaw University partnered with the Carolina Small Business Development Fund's Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center. The center aims to "inspire, connect, encourage, and support startups, students, and existing entrepreneurs." The center plans on achieving its goals by focusing on three programming areas: entrepreneurial training, business incubation, and financial resource services. Students can use this partnership to start their entrepreneurial projects and host innovation events through the off-campus space.

Another way that Shaw University promotes entrepreneurship is by partnering with American Underground. American Underground believes that startups expand and diversify economic potential but require cultivation. The American Underground provides the Triangle's front door to the resources businesses, their founders, and workers need. It does this through a connected community, flexible workspace, and curated content that accesses the network of specialists in the area.

Growing the Open Source Talent Pipeline with Shaw University

In 2020, Red Hat established a strategic relationship with Shaw University, an HBCU located near our headquarters in Raleigh, NC., designed to support its growing Computer Science program and offer students training, certification, and internship opportunities. Some activities include virtual events with Red Hat associates focused on various topics, from skills building, such as resume writing and interview techniques, to more technology-specific sessions introducing students to Linux, Python, cloud computing, GitHub, open source communities, and agile development.

In addition to working with Shaw University, Red Hat signed on with the "All In" program this year. In collaboration with GitHub and The Linux Foundation, the program focuses on creating a more inclusive open source community. Through education, professional development, and hands-on experience, 30 students from six HBCUs and one university founded for the education of Native Americans will have the opportunity to learn about open source. To provide the best experience for students, our Blacks United in Leadership and Diversity (BUILD.) Employee Resource Group (ERG), alongside our Native & Indigenous ERG, worked to identify teams and projects for them to work on and provided mentors. The program culminates with a summer internship in 2022, providing real-world experience and networking opportunities to provide training that the students can build upon graduation.

Shaw University Launches Only HBCU-Based Cyber Operations Program In The Nation

In the fall 2021 semester, Shaw University launched its new Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research (C-CER) concentrated on improving minority representation in cybersecurity careers through academic instruction and training. This program makes Shaw University the only HBCU and the only university in the state of North Carolina with this type of program. The C-CER will establish a direct channel for students to transition into cybersecurity-related positions through academic degree offerings, training, professional development activities, and research initiatives. Dr. James Brown, assistant professor and program coordinator for the Shaw University Computer Science program, will serve as C-CER’s first director. The Cyber Operations program focuses on two critical areas within cybersecurity: ethical hacking and malware analysis.

In January 2022, C-CER also established the Cy(Bear)security Research Group focused on Internet of Things security using artificial immune systems and machine learning. Students researchers are learning networking, security, Python/Java programming, and full-stack development to build cutting-edge intrusion detection systems. Lenovo contributed $25k to support the mission of the Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research (C-CER) at Shaw University. The grant will fund student research and the purchase of computing equipment to continue their research.

Live Well Wake

Shaw University is partnering with Wake County Health and Human Services to implement a component of the Live Well Wake program to improve COVID-19 services in Wake County. The program was made possible by a $38 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded to Wake County Health and Human Services. The Live Well Wake initiative brings together community-based organizations and local Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Shaw and St. Augustine’s University) to advance health equity, expand support for innovative approaches in addressing COVID-19, and obtain information to inform health equity decisions and evaluative designs for improving data collection and reporting activities, oriented toward reduction of health disparities among high-risk and underserved populations in Wake County communities.

Shaw University’s participants in the Live Well Wake Initiative represent the School of Arts, Science, and Humanities and the School of Divinity and include Dr. Valerie Johnson, Dean and Professor of Sociology; Dr. MaNina McNeill, Department Head of Social Work, Sociology & Justice Studies; Dr. Shelby Palmer, Associate Professor of Psychology; Dr. Portia Rochelle, Part-Time Assistant Professor of Religion; and Dr. Dorothy C. Browne, Senior Research Scientist, Social Work, Sociology and Justice Studies. In addition, some students from the university also will assist in the program.

Reducing Local Area Health Inequalities

In June 2022, Shaw University joined the Gold Standard Community, receiving accreditation as a Gold Standard employer from the CEO Roundtable on Cancer.
Shaw is the first HBCU to earn Gold Standard accreditation. Gold Standard employer recognition is extended to universities that champion health
and well-being by advancing prevention, diagnosis, and quality treatment of cancer for students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and communities.
Barbara Powell-Jackson, Gold Community Engagement Coordinator and an adjunct professor in the Shaw University School of Business and Professional
Studies led the accreditation process. Shaw is committed to the health of our employees and bringing life-saving benefits of cancer prevention,
early detection, and quality care to employees, students, and communities. The school of Business and Professional Studies received a $60,000
renewable grant from the CEO roundtable on Cancer to support a community engagement program that focuses on reducing health inequities. The grant
provides resources to encourage activities that will improve health outcomes among populations in the area who are disproportionately affected by cancer.
The Shaw University Center for Racial and Social Justice is also a supporting partner of this initiative.