MEDIA RELEASE  

Contact: Lydia Sermons or Carol Wilkerson 
Email: mediarelations@howard.edu   
Phone: 202-288-7071 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On September 21, Howard University hosted the Amazon Web Services Machine Learning University (AWS-MLU) AI Teaching & Research Symposium. The symposium continued September 22 at Amazon headquarters in Arlington, VA. The symposium brought together leading educators, researchers, and industry professionals to celebrate the collaboration between Amazon’s Machine Learning University and Historically Black Colleges and Universities, community colleges, and universities nationwide. 

“We are pleased to collaborate with Amazon Web Services on this dynamic two-day symposium,” said Anthony Wutoh, PhD, R.Ph., Howard University’s provost and chief academic officer. “Howard University is at the forefront of leveraging technology to advance both academic excellence and social justice, with a focus on ethical AI, equitable access, and meaningful societal impact.” 

The two-day symposium opened at Howard University with a keynote plenary and three role-based breakout tracks — students engaged in the Amazon Cloud Connect Experience, faculty explored curriculum development through the Distributed Teaching Collaborative Consortium in the Educators Consortium, CIOs and executive administrators addressed AI governance and workforce alignment in the Transformation Alliance — culminating in student app presentations, exploration of the historic Howard University campus, and a Networking Hour.  

“As Executive Sponsor of the AWS-Machine Learning University Educators Consortium, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of connecting world-class AI resources with the institutions that are shaping the most talented workforce in the country.” said Jerome Johnson II, Director of Professional Services – US Federal, Aerospace & Defense, AWS; Executive Sponsor, AWS-Machine Learning University Educators Consortium. “This symposium is more than a conference — it’s a launchpad. When we bring together students, faculty, and industry leaders from HBCUs, community colleges, and research universities under one roof, we’re not just teaching AI — we’re building the workforce that will lead the next era of innovation.” 

On day two, Amazon HQ2 immersed participants in the Amazon ecosystem with sessions on Career Choice, AWS Developer Experience, BEN-Tech, and internships, followed by student and faculty poster sessions, an Innovation Table Luncheon, and optional tours of the AI Experience Center, AWS Skills Center, and Amazon Headquarters. 

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