Three historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Mississippi will benefit from a $9.1 million higher education grant the state received to expand artificial intelligence (AI) education, workforce training, and entrepreneurship.
According to WJTV 12 News, on June 12, 2025, Governor Tate Reeves announced the grants through the Mississippi AI Talent Accelerator Program (MAI-TAP), aimed at strengthening the state’s workforce and economic future. In addition to the state support, each institution will seek private funding and resources to maximize impact.
“This is another bold step forward for Mississippi,” Reeves said. “We’re not just preparing for the future – we’re building it. This investment will help to ensure that Mississippians are equipped with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy.”
Administered by AccelerateMS, Jackson State University (JSU) in Jackson received $1.3 million to launch the Executive On Roster (XOR) initiative, which will lead a statewide effort to engage students, educators, and entrepreneurs with emerging technologies through hands-on learning. JSU student consulting teams will also work to provide AI-powered support to small businesses.
“We are grateful for this investment in Jackson State University’s mission to expand access to emerging fields,” JSU Interim President Denise Gregory, Ph.D., said in a news release. “This grant affirms the quality of our faculty and programs and allows us to give students the knowledge and experience to navigate and contribute to the world they are entering. It’s another step forward in our work to serve students and communities through innovation and opportunity.”
Mississippi’s approach to AI and machine learning workforce development focuses on five key areas, the news release states, including investing in human capital to build a skilled infrastructure workforce; promoting AI literacy statewide; and upskilling workers to drive product innovation.
Tougaloo College, also in Jackson, was awarded $1.08 million to hire new AI and machine learning faculty and establish a fund to give students across all programs access to AI-related concepts, WJTV reported.
In Lorman, Alcorn State University received $1.15 million to provide digital literacy and AI training to individuals in southwest Mississippi, along with deploying telehealth resources through its School of Nursing to improve healthcare access in underserved rural communities. Other state institutions were also awarded, including Mississippi State University, Mississippi College, and University of Southern Mississippi.
The investment follows an executive order President Donald Trump signed on April 23, establishing a White House Initiative to promote “excellence and innovation” at HBCUs. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the initiative aims to enhance educational quality through private-sector partnerships and support institutional and workforce development in industries such as technology, health care, manufacturing, and finance; expand access to federal and state grants; and launch an annual White House HBCU Summit to set goals and build partnerships.
It also formed the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs, housed in the Department of Education and comprising HBCU presidents and leaders in philanthropy, education, business, finance, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
“HBCUs are essential to fostering opportunity, economic mobility, and national competitiveness, serving as engines of success for American students,” a White House press release stated. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to the general welfare and prosperity of the United States while producing many leaders in business, government, academia, and the military. Nearly 300,000 individuals annually pursue their dreams at HBCUs throughout the United States. These institutions generate $16.5 billion in annual economic impact and support over 136,000 jobs, strengthening communities and the Nation.”
