Microsoft fellow looks at preparing the AI workforce, one community college at a time | Virginia Tech News
Publish Date: 2026-01-12 14:52:00
Source Domain: news.vt.edu
- Sarah L. Rodriguez, a former beneficiary of the Gates Millennium Scholarship, was awarded a senior fellowship from the Microsoft AI Economy Institute, focusing on AI readiness in U.S. community colleges.
- Rodriguez will explore how these institutions prepare students for an AI-driven economy, recognizing their vital role as a workforce development entry point.
- She aims to understand the regional influences on AI workforce development and is aligned with Microsoft’s need for an AI-fluent workforce.
- Having a history of partnership with Miami Dade College, the largest in the U.S., Rodriguez brings personal and professional insight into the importance of community colleges in higher education.
- As part of the fellowship, Rodriguez will be supported with a $82,500 seed gift and will collaborate with a global group of scholars, meeting both virtually and in person.
- She is involved in a policy workshop, focusing on influencing practice and policy globally around AI.
- Rodriguez’s current engagement is marked by a full-circle moment as she collaborates with Malle Schilling, a Virginia Tech engineering education alumna, underscoring the institution’s support for its alumni.
