can help shape future curriculums for students of all ages so they acquire the right skills. This includes not only technical skills but also emotional intelligence, leadership and community skills. We want to partner with institutions to prepare students for the workforce and to meet the needs of our communities. HBCU TIMES: NOW YOU SAID SOMETHING KEY WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SKILLS. YOU LISTED, TECH, EQ, LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY. CAN YOU GO INTO A LITTLE DETAIL ON THAT, SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TECH? WE HAD A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION ON THE WAY HERE ABOUT HOW WE STEER OUR CHILDREN TOWARD JOBS THAT WON’T GET “GOBBLED UP” BY AI. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? BANDROWCZAK: There’s a misconception that AI will take jobs. Instead, it will create numerous opportunities for the individuals and workforce we train and educate. I always say that today is the slowest technology will ever be in our life. Today is the slowest change will ever be in our life, and you can look at it one of two ways. You can say it’s scary, meaning AI is going to take all our jobs, or you can say it creates a great opportunity for us to be able to use technology to advance and accelerate work that we do. Every technology disruptor, from the web to mobile computing, has driven GDP [gross domestic product] and job growth.
question is, will we drive this in growth in the U.S. or elsewhere? Will it be limited to private schools and Ivy League graduates, or will it extend to all aspects of our communities? HBCU TIMES: HOW DO WE NAVIGATE THAT? HOW DO WE CONTROL THAT? PARTICULARLY WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING HBCUS INTO THAT PIPELINE. BANDROWCZAK: First and foremost, we need to be direct. I shared with the presidents of our forums the need for a forward-thinking curriculum. We must teach for tomorrow, not for yesterday. Curriculum in universities and K-12 schools lack essential future skills; it’s not just about STEM, it’s about leadership, driving changes and giving individuals the ability to learn to lead with AI. AI is an enhanced tool we use to predict device or part failures to help our service team work more efficiently. It also provides value in HR and finance organizations, so collaborating with HBCUs ensures students enter the workforce with the right skills to become future leaders and advance our enterprises. HBCU TIMES: YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT USING AI AS A PREDICTIVE TOOL. DO YOU FORESEE POSSIBLY USING IT TO DETERMINE STUDENT SUCCESS AND COMMUNICATING THAT BACK TO THE SCHOOLS? BECAUSE WE’RE TEACHING FOR TOMORROW, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO TEACH A YEAR FROM TOMORROW, SO HOW DO YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION
schools; it’s about collectively saving children and preparing the next generation workforce. AI is in every single aspect of life today, from the medical industry to law firms. So how do we get these students ready? It’s going to take collective effort and ownership. HBCU TIMES: SO WE TALKED ABOUT DIRECT COMMUNICATION, AND THEN EMBRACING THE VISION. WHAT ELSE MUST HBCUS DO TO PREPARE ITS STUDENTS TO WORK WITH COMPANIES SUCH AS XEROX IN THIS ERA?
WITH ACADEMICS WHO ARE ACCUSTOMED TO A VERY STRUCTURED STYLE?
BANDROWCZAK: As you try to drive change, the first thing is to set a vision on what that change looks like. Our goal is to improve the jobs of administrators and educators, so there has to be change. Today’s infrastructure and funding are insufficient to sustain status quo. I believe every university has a goal of saving the next child, but we need to scale this vision to impact thousands at a time. We must use and leverage technology and skills that are different than what they have today.
BANDROWCZAK: Embracing change is hard, whether it’s starting a diet and workout routine or something more
HBCU TIMES: SO HOW DO WE DO THAT?
complex. However, a clear vision and purpose makes it worthwhile. When there’s a collective vision, a collective purpose, there’s a mission that’s bigger than individual pain, and that’s when you get to success. Everyone, not just individual schools or presidents, must buy into the vision and end goal for the common good. It takes a very complex process and simplifies it. We all loved Dr. King, and he had a simple vision—that everybody lived together in harmony. It was simple but difficult; and yet, everybody understood the vision. HBCU TIMES: SO WE HAVE STRAIGHT TALK, UNDERSTAND THAT CHANGE IS HARD, AND THE LAST POINT IS? BANDROWCZAK: The commitment to getting it done. Many times we start these initiatives and
BANDROWCZAK: We create shared services, which is when you consolidate your infrastructure under one unit to drive common processes and technology to accelerate simplification and change. HBCUs can also collaborate to establish a common shared services model. HBCU TIMES: WHO’S GOING TO OWN IT? DO YOU ENVISION THIS AS CORPORATE OWNERSHIP AND THE HBCUS KIND OF FEEDING FROM THAT? BANDROWCZAK: Collective ownership is essential. No single university, regardless of size, can drive the necessary change alone. That’s why I think forums, like today, where university presidents get together for a common good, are crucial to collectively think about this vision. It’s not just about individual
AI will also drive job growth. The
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