Google has announced new initiatives this week, reinforcing the tech giant’s commitment to supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

According to a recent blog post by Monique Picou, Vice President of Cloud Supply Chain and Operations at Alphabet Inc., Google worked with Morehouse staff and faculty in computer science, chemistry, and the Office of Institutional Advancement departments to create a space that is equipped with smartboards, HD projectors, desktop and laptop computers, and other technology for instruction and collaboration.

Sharing the news about Google’s HBCU campus outreach on LinkedIn, Melonie Parker, Chief Diversity Officer at Google, said that opening annexes at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, N.C., and Morehouse College in Atlanta signifies a new chapter in Google’s commitment to supporting HBCUs.

“As a first-generation college grad, I deeply understand the transformative power of HBCUs,” Parker wrote. “These Annexes are more than just a physical space for learning – they are a platform for the next generation of diverse technologists to access resources such as our Tech Exchange and Google in Residence programs and our HBCU campus outreach.”

In June 2021, N.C. A&T  announced it had received a $5-million grant from Google designed to help with financial support for scholarships, career readiness preparation, entrepreneurship mentoring, technological infrastructure, and curriculum innovations.

Separately, Parker announced a $50 million Google grant in 2021 to support scholarships, invest in technical infrastructure for in-class and remote learning, and develop curriculum and career support programs at 10 HBCUs.