STEM City is a digital community created by Career Communications Group to bridge the divide through education, health, and workforce development.
Career Communications Group (CCG) recently hosted the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Engineering Deans Meeting in STEM City USA.
At this gathering, academic leaders discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins are revolutionizing education, research, and workforce development for the 21st century.
Supported by new federal initiatives promoting AI education in K–12 and higher education, these institutions are positioned to lead in developing inclusive curricula, AI literacy programmes, and ethical frameworks for emerging technologies.
The platform’s content management system provides faculty and students with tools to design and manage their digital spaces, extending their academic programs. This student-led process goes beyond technical training, preparing the next generation of digital architects, data engineers, and AI ethicists.
STEM City USA offers an ecosystem featuring immersive classrooms, virtual labs, and connectivity.
Kwan Hurst, digital operations director of STEM City USA, showcased how the platform offers insights into STEM pioneers and develops educational modules linking algebra basics to practical engineering careers.
STEM City USA is designed to encourage hands-on learning and collaboration. Established five years ago, it builds on over 40 years of efforts by Career Communications Group (CCG) to promote diversity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
During the meeting, HBCU deans explored their digital suites within the HBCU Village, a virtual district inside STEM City USA.
Each suite acts as a dynamic extension of a university’s mission, enabling students to host events, attend lectures, and participate in AI-driven research.
Currently represented are HBCUs with ABET-accredited engineering schools. They include Alabama A&M University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University, Jackson State University, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and A&M College, Tennessee State University, Texas Southern University, Tuskegee University, University of the District of Columbia, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, and Virginia State University.
Central to this transformation is Collin AI, STEM City USA’s proprietary large language model.
Drawing on more than 40 years of exclusive data from CCG’s publications, events, and archives, Collin AI represents a collective memory of excellence in science and engineering.
Unlike public AI systems that source information from the open internet, Collin AI uses verified, community-owned data, creating a digital archive capable of generating lesson plans, research outlines, and historical analyses enriched with cultural context and accuracy.
With Unity 3D and AI integration, students can build classrooms, exhibitions, or entire university campuses.
The meeting also highlighted STEM City Jamaica, which was built in just three days after a natural disaster to support education and community recovery.
This project demonstrates how digital twin technology can be quickly deployed to sustain learning and communication during emergencies. It serves as a model, linking HBCUs with universities and innovation hubs worldwide.
Each digital city forms part of a connected network—a virtual federation of excellence—where culture, technology, and education intersect.
By combining AI, immersive environments, and cultural storytelling, STEM City USA stands as the nation’s first virtual city designed to empower underserved communities through technology and innovation.
