Morehouse College has been selected to join the 2025–2026 Amazon-MLU Educators Consortium and Transformation Alliance, a national initiative designed to empower higher education institutions to integrate industry-aligned artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into their curriculum. This milestone reflects Morehouse’s continued commitment to academic innovation and equity in tech education.
Through this prestigious partnership, Morehouse faculty and executive leadership will gain access to hands-on training, open-source instructional content, and cutting-edge resources aimed at building capacity in AI/ML teaching and learning. The initiative also provides a platform for faculty to join a nationwide community of practice focused on preparing students—especially those from underrepresented communities—for future-forward careers in AI and ML.
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Empowering Faculty, Equipping Students
The Morehouse faculty cohort includes a multidisciplinary team from chemistry, computer science, and mathematics:
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Dr. Sonya Dennis, Associate Chair & Senior Assistant Professor, Computer Science (Team Lead)
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Dr. Chuang Peng, Professor, Mathematics
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Dr. Arkajyoti Sengupta, Assistant Professor, Chemistry
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Ms. Yvonne Phillips, Adjunct Professor, Computer Science
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Mr. Ayodeji Oyesanya, Lecturer & MakerSpace Engineer, Chemistry
The cohort will be guided by Dr. Juana Mendenhall, Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Learning, who serves as the project’s executive lead.
“Participation in the Amazon-MLU Educators Consortium allows Morehouse to align our curriculum with the future of work, while remaining grounded in our mission to cultivate ethical leaders,” said Dr. Juana Mendenhall. “This partnership is about more than just tools and training—it’s about empowering faculty to reimagine what’s possible in AI/ML education, and ensuring our students are prepared to lead with both skill and purpose.”
The Amazon-MLU Educators Consortium and Transformation Alliance helps participating institutions tackle the national AI/ML skills gap while promoting greater inclusion in the tech workforce. The initiative enables faculty to develop new courses and enhance existing ones using accessible, open-sourced content aligned with real-world applications and industry needs.
“The Machine Learning University (MLU) Educators Consortium and Transformation Alliance are transformative programs that underscore the vital role of inclusion in driving innovation within artificial intelligence and machine learning,” said Daryl Hammett, Director of Delivery & AI Platforms at Amazon Web Services and HBCU alumnus. “By uniting educators and researchers from Morehouse College with industry leaders, these cohorts foster invaluable cross-pollination of ideas and accelerated advancement in critical fields. The open dialogue and shared learnings will undoubtedly power groundbreaking new developments that improve lives and society. Amazon’s MLU team deserves praise for championing this important initiative that celebrates the inextricable link between inclusion and progress.”
As the tech industry continues to evolve, Morehouse’s participation in this national consortium signals its growing leadership in preparing students from HBCUs to shape the future of AI, ML, and emerging technologies.
Morehouse will continue to share updates on curriculum development, student engagement, and research outcomes emerging from this work.