Here is a detailed summary of the video transcription in Markdown format:
The Journey of HBCU One
Empowering Higher Education Through Innovation and Collaboration
Key Highlights:
- HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) represent 3% of U.S. colleges and universities, yet they produce:
- 20% of all African-American graduates
- 50% of black doctors and lawyers
- 80% of black judges
- When COVID-19 hit, only 20% of HBCUs had a plan for online education, compared to 56% of all U.S. colleges and universities.
- HBCUs collectively contribute $16.5 billion annually to the U.S. economy, yet receive 7 times less endowment than predominantly white institutions.
- The average graduation rate for HBCUs is 35%, leaving 65% of students unserved.
The HBCU One Platform
- Developed by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) in collaboration with AWS, the HBCU One platform aims to transform the online learning experience for HBCU students.
- Key features of the platform:
- Shared course catalog: Allows students to cross-register and take courses at different HBCU institutions.
- "My Path": Provides personalized student support, resources, and engagement opportunities beyond the classroom.
- Community-driven design: Focuses on creating a vibrant, culturally-relevant online experience that fosters community and connection.
- Equity-centric approach: Prioritizes the unique needs and backgrounds of HBCU students in the design and development of the platform.
Technical Approach
- The HBCU One platform leverages various AWS services and technologies, including:
- AWS Amplify: Streamlines the front-end development and hosting of the platform.
- AWS Step Functions: Orchestrates the complex user registration and onboarding workflows.
- AWS CloudWatch RUM: Provides comprehensive performance monitoring and insights to enhance the user experience.
- Key technical challenges and solutions:
- Data consistency and synchronization across multiple HBCU institutions.
- Equity-centric design to ensure a seamless and culturally-relevant user experience.
- Robust security and privacy measures to protect student data.
- Integrated communication and coordination with HBCU partners for a successful transformation.
- Scalable and performant architecture to handle peak usage periods.
The Impact
- The HBCU One platform aims to empower HBCU students by providing a community-driven, technology-enabled learning environment that leverages the strengths of HBCUs.
- By enhancing student engagement, success, and access to resources, the platform seeks to address the challenges faced by HBCU students and institutions, ultimately driving greater educational and economic outcomes for the HBCU community.
