Cal State Dominguez Hills is trying to address the lack of diversity in the tech industry by training more educators. I can teach computer science in K-12 schools, thanks to a $5 million grant from the company that owns the social media application Snapchat.

CSUDH students, teachers, administrators, alumni, and Snap Inc. representatives recently gathered to celebrate the launch of the Snap Inc. Institute for Technology and Education. The Institute is located within and supported by the College of Education at the Dominguez Hills Campus. From the non-profit organization CSforALL.

With the ultimate goal of making equity-oriented computer science an integral part of K-12 education in Los Angeles, the institute seeks to effectively transfer computer science skills to students. Train aspiring educators.

CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham said at the SITE opening last week: “There’s a big divide in this country, and it’s not just political, it’s not racial. It’s technical.”

This disparity can be seen in student homes in the Los Angeles area, many of which share devices between family members and lack stable internet connections, he said. The limited computer science education available means that many low-income students and students of color are ill-equipped to acquire the technical skills to enter the industry.

The $5 million donation was also due in part to Snap Inc.’s poor track record on diversity, said Jasson Crockett, the company’s public policy manager.

“There’s a bit of a diversity issue with snaps, maybe not as much as a noticeable big deficit,” he said. “And we are certainly not alone.”

According to Snapchat’s 2022 Diversity Report, Black employees make up 5.2% of the workforce, while Hispanic/Latino employees make up 7.2%. So is Google’s demographic breakdown, according to the 2022 Diversity Report. Black employees make up 5.3% of his staff at Google, while Latino employees make up 6.9% of him, according to the Diversity Report.

Reflecting on this industry-wide problem, Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel asked where the company could invest to have the greatest impact on technology diversity, Crockett said.

“If we want more people of color to pursue careers in tech, we need to expose more young people of color to computer science early,” said Crockett. . “If you want more students of color to experience computer science, make sure you train your computer science teachers well.”

CSUDH, located in the Carson area, was named the largest donation of $5 million in the history of the university. This is because of its financial liquidity, its stellar reputation for providing a diverse student body and being one of K’s leading producers. – 12 teachers in Los Angeles.

The university was ranked No. 2 in the nation for creating economic liquidity in a survey by public policy think tank Third Way. About 90% of our students are people of color, of which 65% are Hispanic/Latino and 11% are Black. On the other hand, the majority of students at the College of Education are from communities within a 50-mile radius of the campus and hold teaching positions there, said Dean’s Jessica Thatcher Pandia.

Parham said he hopes the work done at SITE will have ripple effects in the communities in which the alumni work.

At the gala on Thursday, September 22nd, Parham said: “It’s those students who then come back to train their parents, influence their communities, and influence the next generation of students behind them.

“That’s the magic we’ve been waiting for.”