Bowie State Camp Teaches Web Skills to Baltimore Youth

Teams Developed Websites to Address Social Issues

MEDIA CONTACT: Damita Chambers, dchambers@bowiestate.edu, 301-832-2628 mobile

(BOWIE, Md.) – Joshua Ruffin, 18, never considered working in technology until he discovered a passion for web design through Bowie State University’s Summer Design and Think Technology Innovation Capstone Project. Guided by Bowie State computer technology faculty, the recent high school graduate learned HTML coding skills that he plans to turn into a career in technology.

“Now I know how to make websites. They are helping me to get better in this type of field. I think I want to work in cybersecurity now,” he said.

For five weeks, Ruffin and about 40 Baltimore youth from the city’s YouthWorks summer jobs program worked in six teams to develop websites to address problems in their city. They attended daily workshops to learn the computer coding and other skills needed to complete their projects. Professors Lethia Jackson and Velma Latson, along with seven undergraduate student mentors, helped the teams to turn their ideas into viable projects. The projects included an online collection of resources to prevent teen pregnancy and a website for anonymous reports of students considering suicide. At the end of the program, the young people presented their websites to a panel of technology experts, who ranked the top three groups.

Developed through a unique partnership between Bowie State and YouthWorks, the program is part of the university’s cybersecurity workforce pipeline initiative, funded by the National Nuclear Security Administration. The purpose is to address the nation’s shortage in cybersecurity professionals by growing a pipeline of well-trained minorities to meet the growing need.

The camp is also a learning experience for the Bowie State student mentors. “It’s helping me reinforce the cybersecurity and website development skills I might have forgotten or didn’t quite get during the school year when I was learning it,” said junior computer technology major Angela Latson. “It’s fun to see how creatively they are able to think. I’m really proud of them.”

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About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit www.bowiestate.edu.