Matika Pierre

Propel Center

Supported by founding partners Apple and Southern Company, the Propel Center is a first-of-its-kind innovation and learning hub for the entire HBCU community that will serve as a catalytic epicenter of learning, providing students with the knowledge, skills, tools, and resources necessary to transform the nation's talent pipeline and workforce. Through a robust virtual platform, on-campus activities at partner institutions, and a physical campus located in the Atlanta University Center, Propel will bring innovative curricula and unprecedented leadership opportunities to produce the next generation of black leaders. Ed Farm was launched in February 2020 in Birmingham, AL to create a suite of signature programs designed to engage students, educators, and adult learners in innovative digital skills experiences that better prepare them for the 21st-century workforce. In February 2021, Ed Farm, in partnership with Apple and Southern, announced plans to launch the Propel Center, a physical and virtual hub based in Atlanta, GA that will partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to provide powerful learning experiences for HBCU students and staff and increase the pool of HBCU graduates entering and leading the innovation economy.