Roanoke College Offers Free AI Training with Google Partnership

Roanoke College in Virginia has partnered with Google to offer free access to industry-recognized credentials for its faculty, staff, and students through the Google AI for Education Accelerator. The program provides 24 different certificates, including those in project management, cybersecurity, personnel management, marketing, design, and user interface, each with an AI component.

The courses are hosted on Coursera, and once completed, participants receive a credential that can be added to LinkedIn or a resume. Ryan King, chief of staff and innovation officer at Roanoke College, said this approach is different from AI minors and majors offered at other colleges in Virginia, as it focuses on integrating AI with existing skills.

King emphasized the importance of critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, which are developed through a liberal arts education. The program aims to equip students with the ability to use AI as a tool, not a crutch. Community members can also benefit from the program by hiring Roanoke College graduates or accepting students as interns.

The partnership came about when King was selected as a Google Higher Education Leadership Fellow and learned about the Google AI for Education Accelerator through a small group discussion in March. He contacted Google, and after submitting an application in May, the college was accepted into the program two weeks later.