В Балтиморе запустили TechFest для содействия трудоустройству студентов в сфере технологий

When I started Morgan TechFest in 2022, the question driving me was simple: How do we close the gap between what students learn in the classroom and the real-world problems waiting for them in the workforce? I’m a PhD researcher in computer science at Morgan State University, and I spend my days working on applied AI. My work includes building models for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, evaluating the performance of large language models that go beyond text, and developing a system that tracks and re-identifies individuals across video footage to support forensic investigations. It’s fulfilling work, because I know it can have real impact. But I kept noticing how many talented students never got the chance to apply their skills to a real problem, present their work to industry or even picture a clear path into a technology career. The classroom taught them theory. Few places let them practice it in front of the people who actually hire. Morgan TechFest was my answer. A platform built around doing, not just listening Hosted by Morgan State, Morgan TechFest is an annual technology and innovation platform built on a simple belief: Students learn best by solving real problems. Rather than a conference of back-to-back talks, we built it around two hands-on pillars. The Tech Case Competition challenges students to integrate technology into their own field, whether that’s business, health, engineering or the arts, to solve a real-world problem. The Innovation Expo gives them a stage to showcase applied research and projects across every discipline. Around those, we layer expert-led panels, keynotes, workshops and structured networking with industry professionals. The result is portfolio-ready work, sharper technical and critical-thinking skills and something many students arrive without: a concrete sense of where they’re headed. That’s why our tagline is “Discover, Network, Innovate.” One thing I insisted on from the start is that Morgan TechFest is for everyone, not just computer scientists. Technology touches every field now, and our platform is intentionally interdisciplinary, open to any student — from any school — who wants to understand how technology is reshaping their work, whatever they study. Growing roots in Baltimore’s ecosystem Building this in Baltimore has mattered to me. Morgan State is one of the nation’s leading HBCUs, and the talent here is extraordinary. But talent needs platforms, and platforms need partners. Over the past few years, Morgan TechFest has grown from an idea into an event backed by some of the biggest names in tech. We’ve welcomed sponsorship from Google, AWS, Bloomberg, Capital One, Kyndryl and M&T, alongside partnerships with Microsoft, Ripple and Oracle. It has also grown beyond our own campus, drawing students from across the region, including Howard, Bowie State, the University of Maryland, Towson, University of the District of Columbia and Morgan State. Each year, more than 150 students take part, competing, presenting and connecting with industry professionals and recruiters they would never have met otherwise. They are selected from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants across our editions. That reach hasn’t gone unnoticed beyond campus: Morgan TechFest has been part of the national conversation on HBCU tech talent, referenced in CIO.com’s reporting on how IT leaders are turning to HBCUs to build the future tech workforce. But the real measure of Morgan TechFest is what students walk away with. Participants gain access to internship opportunities with our partners, and see their strongest projects and research recognized with awards. For many, it’s the first time their work is taken seriously by the people who shape the industry, and that changes how they see their own potential. Underlying all of it is a focus on career navigation. We help students understand how to apply their own field within a technology-driven economy, how to stay relevant as the tools and the industry evolve, and how to position themselves for global opportunities. For students figuring out where they fit, that guidance can be the difference between drifting and building a deliberate path into tech. We’re building something here: a pipeline that turns academic potential into real-world impact, right in Baltimore. Come be part of it. Learn more and register at morgantechfest.com.