CoLAB

About

The Greater Washington Partnership is a civic alliance of the region’s leading employers who are committed to fostering unity and making the Capital Region—from Baltimore to Richmond—the most inclusive economy in the nation. GWP aims to make our region the best place to live, work and thrive.

In 2018, GWP launched the Collaborative of Leaders in Academia and Business—Capital CoLAB—to prepare more learners for in-demand roles in technology. The goal of CoLAB is to diversify the Capital Region’s digital tech workforce by partnering with employers and educators to create pathways that promote equitable access to the industry.

Hood College is a proud Capital CoLAB partner. Through the program, we issue digital badges to students who demonstrate mastery of the knowledge and skills necessary for careers in the growing digital tech sector. Hood College offers the following digital badges:

Generalist Credential (Undergraduate & Graduate)
Data Analytics Credential (Undergraduate & Graduate)
Cybersecurity Specialist Credential (Graduate)

Students enrolled in the Capital CoLAB programs enjoy the following benefits:

$2500 toward Hood College tuition for each year of the award.
Access to a student portal with internships from CoLAB employers.
Invitations to participate in annual internship fairs with CoLAB employers.
Opportunities to engage in professional development webinars and other networking opportunities.
Connection to a network of CoLAB students from our CoLAB academic institutions.
Recognition of earning a Digital Tech Badge to display on your LinkedIn or resume upon completion of the required program with a notation on your official Hood transcript.

Hood College is proud to offer scholarships of up to $2,500 for students enrolling in the CoLAB program.

Eligibility Requirements

Preference in selection will be given to members of groups that are underrepresented in the digital tech profession (e.g., women and students of color).
Each Scholarship recipient shall be currently enrolled or an accepted student in a degree seeking program at the College (Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Management Information System, and Computer Science at the graduate level).
Each Scholarship recipient shall be currently pursuing or intend to pursue one of the Digital Tech Credentials.
Each Scholarship recipient shall be in good academic standing as defined by the College with a minimum 2.0 GPA for undergraduate recipients and a 3.0 GPA for graduate-student recipients.
Each Scholarship recipient shall satisfy such additional requirements as are designated by the College, which requirements may include but are not limited to:
- Interest in pursuing a digital tech career;
- Having a FAFSA on file at the College; and
- Demonstration of financial need
Applicants for renewal of a Scholarship shall also demonstrate to the College’s satisfaction progress toward earning a Digital Tech Credential.

Each applicant shall be required to provide a completed application in the form provided by the College and if required by the College, each applicant shall provide a written essay not to exceed 300 words addressing the following:

CoLAB’s vision is for the National Capital Region to become the most diverse digital tech workforce in the country. The scholarship’s purpose is to provide support diverse student populations with a preference for those that are underrepresented in the digital tech profession. In support of CoLAB’s vision, please answer the following two prompts:

How will the CoLAB Digital Tech Credential Scholarship support your career goals?
How will your selection as a scholarship recipient support the scholarship’s purpose?

* To apply at the graduate level, email gofurther@hood.edu with your completed essay and proof of FAFSA

Generalist Credential (Graduate)
IT 510 Computing Hardware and Software Systems
CSIT 512 Elements of Computer Programming
IT 514 Info Tech and Cloud Business Intelligence

Data Analytics Credential (Graduate)
CSIT 512 Elements of Computer Programming (Python) or IT 514 Info Tech and Cloud Business Intelligence
ITMG 516 Introduction to Data Analytics and Business Data Mining (RapidMiner) - fall/spring
ITMG 525 Applied Data Analytics*

* Leads to the “IBM Professional Data Analytics Practitioner” certification.

Cybersecurity Specialist Credential (Graduate)**
CYBR 555 Information Systems Security
CYBR 548 Telecommunications and Networking
CYBR 534 Network and Internet Security

** For students without academic preparation or background in computing, the following courses are required:
IT 510 Computing Hardware and Software Systems
CSIT 512 Elements of Computer Programming

Click here to learn more about graduate admission. Contact April Boulton, dean of the Graduate School, for graduate admission inquiries boulton@hood.edu | 301-696-3600
Click here to learn more about undergraduate admission. Contact Bill Brown, vice president for enrollment management, for undergraduate admission inquiries brownw@hood.edu | 301-696-3400

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