About the Initiative
ASCEND-AI (Advancing Student and Collaborative Educator Networks for Digital AI Integration) is a $4 million initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), with an award period spanning 2026 to 2030. Led by Howard University as the lead institution and Bowie State University as co-lead, with Maya Angelou Public Charter School serving as the Local Education Agency partner, ASCEND-AI addresses the critical need for comprehensive AI literacy across Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The initiative builds strategically on existing NSF-funded infrastructure, including Howard’s HBCU-UP Targeted Infusion Project and Bowie State’s established Faculty Learning Community model. Under the direction of Dr. LaTanya Brown-Robertson, Professor of Economics and Associate Dean for Academic Innovation and Student Success and Dr Amy Yeboah Quarkume, Director of the Masters in Data Science Program at Howard University, Dr Azene Zenebe and Dr Rand Obeifat at Bowie State University ASCEND-AI positions HBCUs at the forefront of an equity-centered approach to AI workforce development and national competitiveness.
AI Literacy at the Forefront
The global landscape of AI adoption has shifted decisively. According to a 2026 Google/Ipsos study of 21,000 respondents across 21 countries, two-thirds of the global public now reports using an AI tool, and self-reported chatbot usage has increased from 38% to 62% since 2023. Among educators, the adoption rate is even higher: 81% of teachers report using AI tools, with primary use cases including learning new concepts (77%) and saving time on tasks (75%). Students aged 18 and older adopt AI at a rate of 85%, making them among the most active users globally.
These trends underscore a fundamental reality: AI literacy is no longer an aspirational competency but a foundational requirement for participation in an increasingly AI-integrated workforce. ASCEND-AI responds to this imperative by ensuring that HBCU faculty and students are not merely consumers of AI technology but are positioned as informed practitioners, ethical evaluators, and innovative problem-solvers who shape how AI is deployed in their disciplines and communities.
Ethical AI
Responsible AI integration stands at the center of the ASCEND-AI curriculum. Our approach is grounded in the principle that AI serves as amplification rather than replacement of human expertise. Faculty and students engage with AI through a framework of critical evaluation: questioning outputs, verifying sources, identifying bias, and considering whose perspectives may be absent from AI-generated content.
This approach ensures that ASCEND-AI graduates are not passive recipients of AI tools but active stewards who evaluate AI solutions through the lenses of impact, ethics, and disciplinary rigor.