Grant will transform Bedford Hall into a center for AI education, research, workforce preparation, and community engagement
Voorhees University has been awarded a $1,188,800 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to establish the Artificial Intelligence Institute of Technology and Research Center (AIITRC).
Dr. Corey Amaker
Funding will establish the Artificial Intelligence Institute of Technology and Research Center and transform Bedford Hall into a hub for AI education, workforce preparation, research, and community engagement
AIITRC will serve as Voorhees University’s central hub for artificial intelligence education, research, workforce preparation, and community engagement. A cornerstone of the initiative will be the transformation of Bedford Hall into a modern AI learning and research environment featuring advanced computing infrastructure, GPU-enabled systems, hybrid instructional technology, and collaborative innovation spaces where students, faculty, and community partners can work together.
“When Elizabeth Evelyn Wright founded this institution in 1897, she believed education could transform lives and uplift entire communities. AIITRC carries that belief into a new era,” said Dr. Ronnie Hopkins, President of Voorhees University. “Rural students deserve the same access to cutting-edge technology as students anywhere in the nation. With this grant, Bedford Hall becomes a place where our students discover their potential in artificial intelligence, where our faculty push the boundaries of research, and where our neighbors in Denmark, Bamberg, and beyond find new pathways to opportunity. This is what it means to be a Beloved Community.”
Dr. Cathy Scarborough, JD
The proposal was developed by Co-Principal Investigators Dr. Corey Amaker and Dr. Cathy Scarborough, JD, with Mrs. Esther Brown, Director of Sponsored Research.
Addressing Challenges Facing Rural Institutions
The initiative was shaped by the University’s Institutional Assessment team in collaboration with the Rural Community Development Institute (RCDI). Together, they identified challenges common to many rural colleges and universities, including limited research infrastructure, constrained organizational capacity for large-scale technological innovation, limited integration of artificial intelligence across campus and curriculum, and persistent achievement gaps in gateway STEM courses.
AIITRC responds to these challenges through a vertically integrated framework that will embed AI competencies across academic programs, support faculty professional development, expand undergraduate research opportunities, and deepen Voorhees University’s engagement with Denmark, Bamberg, and surrounding rural communities.
“This award reflects years of careful institutional assessment and planning,” said Dr. Corey Amaker, Co-Principal Investigator and Head of Strategy, Assessment, and Compliance at Voorhees University. “AIITRC gives us the infrastructure and framework to turn what our data told us into real gains in student success, research capacity, and community impact.”
Preparing Students and Communities for an AI-Driven Workforce
Through the integration of artificial intelligence across academic disciplines, AIITRC will help prepare Voorhees students to engage with emerging technologies across industry, government, education, and other professional fields.
Expanded research opportunities will provide undergraduate students with hands-on experience using AI tools and research methods, while workforce training and community programming will extend the benefits of the initiative to residents and organizations throughout the surrounding region.
“This investment positions Voorhees University to respond to the evolving workforce and educational needs of our region, ensuring that rural South Carolina is not left behind in the AI era,” said Dr. Cathy Scarborough, JD, Co-Principal Investigator and Founding Director of the Rural Community Development Institute.
The initiative also provides opportunities for faculty to strengthen their technological expertise, incorporate AI into teaching and research, and collaborate with community and industry partners.
Built to Last
Voorhees University has developed a long-term sustainability strategy designed to extend the impact of AIITRC beyond the five-year grant period.
The strategy includes endowment development, workforce training revenue, future grant funding, industry partnerships, sponsored research, and philanthropic support. These efforts will help position the Institute as a lasting resource for students, faculty, employers, and residents throughout the region.
With the establishment of AIITRC, Voorhees University is investing in both the immediate needs and long-term opportunities of rural South Carolina – creating pathways for students and communities to participate in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
About the Rural Community Development Institute
Established in June 2022 as part of President Ronnie Hopkins’ Voorhees University-Beloved Community vision, the Rural Community Development Institute (RCDI) at Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina, works to improve quality of life, education, health access, economic self-sufficiency, and workforce readiness for the University and surrounding rural communities in Denmark, Bamberg, and beyond.
Funding Acknowledgment
This project, “Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Advancing Artificial Intelligence Engagement at Voorhees University,” is supported by the U.S. Department of Labor under Award No. 26D60SI000383-01-00 in the amount of $1,188,800, which represents 100% of the total project cost. No non-federal funds support this project.
The period of performance is October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031.