Morehouse College said it will provide tablets to this coming academic year’s new students to help bridge the digital divide that has expanded due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The college said it wants to ensure that students in families struggling financially amid the pandemic can make a successful transition to college. Typically, more than 90% of Morehouse students are eligible for financial aid, and students at historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs) like Morehouse are more likely to be impacted by the digital divide.
“The digital divide is another battlefield in the fight for social justice because it is directly linked to income disparities between racial groups,” said David A. Thomas, president of Morehouse College. “Black and brown families are at the lowest rungs of the household income scale.”
Morehouse is partnering with Microsoft to help new students get access to the tablets.