This academic year, Morehouse College proudly partnered with FICO, a global leader in data analytics, to bring the FICO Educational Analytics Challenge to campus. In collaboration with the Morehouse Center for Broadening Participation in Computing, this initiative provided computer science students with an unparalleled opportunity to gain hands-on experience in financial technology and fraud detection.
Throughout the fall semester, students participated in a series of "Master Classes" led by Scott Zoldi, Chief Analytics Officer at FICO, and his team of experts. These sessions equipped students with valuable skills, including the use of artificial intelligence software and Python programming to design detection models that banks could implement to combat fraud.
The FICO Educational Analytics Challenge was specifically designed to expose more students of color to the field of data science, fostering greater diversity and equity within the tech industry. By working on real-world scenarios, students tackled complex issues in financial fraud detection, learning to identify anomalies and develop predictive models that reflect industry standards.
The challenge culminated in a competition, where student teams presented their fraud detection solutions to a panel of judges. The winning team, "FinPaid," led by Mark Ross, a junior Computer Science major from Atlanta, successfully built a comprehensive fraud detection model from start to finish. Mark shared, "The competition gave us practical experience in building predictive models and showed us how our skills could directly impact the financial sector."
Julius Jones, a fourth-year student from Chicago and captain of team "Data Wizards," expressed his enthusiasm for the experience: "Competing in the challenge inspired me to dig deeper into fraud analysis. I want to be fully prepared for a career in data science when I graduate."
This partnership exemplifies Morehouse College’s commitment to providing transformative educational experiences that bridge classroom learning with industry application. By collaborating with FICO, Morehouse continues to empower its students to become trailblazers in technology and innovation, ready to lead and reshape the future of fintech.
A heartfelt thank you to FICO, Scott Zoldi, and the Morehouse Center for Broadening Participation in Computing for their dedication and support in nurturing the next generation of Black data scientists. Together, we are building a future where diversity drives discovery and innovation.
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Partnerships of Purpose