Johnson C. Smith University plans to distribute more than 400 laptops to new students on Monday, with the aim of boosting students' academic performance.
The university plans to hand out hundreds of laptops to freshman and transfer students. It’s part of the Charlotte Inclusive Tech-Innovation Pilot program that was funded through a nearly $6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
JCSU’s John A. Oliver oversees the initiative and said the laptops will have a meaningful impact on students who can’t afford computers.
“Removing that barrier, that obstacle will definitely lead to higher retention rates,” Oliver said. “We definitely believe it will lead to high course participation and completion, and we believe it will lead to greater academic performance.”
E2D, short for Eliminate the Digital Divide, is helping to provide refurbished laptops. JCSU has used the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration grant to make technological upgrades around campus, including moving the campus network from 2G to 5G bandwidth.
The university has also used the grant to help community members in neighborhoods surrounding the school access affordable internet services.
