Left, Patience Thompson, a freshman computer information systems, logistics and supply chain major, and Janiah Thompson, a sophomore business marketing major.Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning was in full display at Savannah State University during a recent IBM SkillsBuild workshop that had more than 400 SSU students registered for a chance to earn AI certificate badges, pick up some IBM swag, and even collect an AI headshot. The workshop included 10-minute modules such as: How to create your own Chatbot; Professional Basketball; Formula One; Football Game Experience; L’Oréal Cosmetics; GenAI and Content Creation; and Live Sports Coverage.
The event was the first workshop resulting from a partnership between SSU and IBM known as “SkillsBuild AI Freshman University Initiative.” SSU is one of only 30 institutions nationwide selected to participate in the partnership designed to transform student career preparedness through foundational AI skills while allowing students to earn industry-recognized AI credentials.
The event was supported by SSU AI student ambassadors led by Patience Thompson and Isaiah Clark. Also assisting were Sabrina Smith, Esha Green, Jinorri Wilson, Nurah Ahmad, Naomi Gray, Ahmad Heaggans, Niyah Knight, and John Lawson. Support for the workshop came from multiple areas across campus, including Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Academic Success, Residential Housing, the SSU Honors Program, the SSU Peer Tutoring Program, College Deans and faculty. SSU is grateful for the support of IBM and its on-the-ground team from Campus Connect.
“The IBM partnership provides students with a competitive edge as they enter the regional, national, and global workforce,” said event organizer Frank J. Mendelson, lecturer in the SSU College of Business Administration (COBA), “Employers are seeking students with ‘hybrid-intelligence,’ which combines human intelligence with the mastery of using AI tools in their industry sector.”
All SSU freshmen are required to complete the IBM SkillsBuild course titled “Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence.” The 3-hour, self-paced course is embedded in the First-Year Experience curriculum. Students learn how AI works and are exposed to real-world examples of how AI is used across different industries. Students also study basic considerations of ethics and bias in AI.
The IBM offerings will further be extended throughout the COBA curriculum. Dr. Michael Fronmueller, Dean of COBA, said, “The World Economic Forum 2025 jobs report is clear — familiarity in transformative technology is a must in the job market, across all industries.”
The report indicates that advancements in technologies, particularly AI and information processing, are among the most transformative trends in the labor market by 2030.
Dorethea Spencer, a first-line leader at IBM, attended the workshop. She said, “AI is essential to student learning because AI is the future. All tech companies are moving to AI. They want their employees to learn how to leverage AI to improve productivity, be more innovative, and deliver products faster.”
Valinda Kennedy, IBM SkillsBuild program manager, joined the presentation via Zoom from Chicago.
The SSU-IBM initiative will unlock students’ access to over 1,000 free courses and open the door to paid micro-internships, mentoring opportunities, and personalized learning paths aligned with real-world job roles. The workshop was the first in a series of events that will continue to provide students with a deep familiarity with AI.
