Nutanix and North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Establish Endowed Computer Science Professorship

Nutanix and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) established the Nutanix Endowed Professorship in Computer Science to support computer science education at NCSSM through a $250,000 one-time corporate grant. The program is intended to fund teacher training and open-source STEAM curriculum resources.

NCSSM described uneven access to technical learning pathways across North Carolina, particularly for rural and underserved communities. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction mandated that high school students pass a computer science course to graduate, while funding for teacher training remained restricted. NCSSM said it would use the endowment to support statewide initiatives.

The professorship links Nutanix funding to NCSSM Connect, an outreach program that uses synchronous, high-definition video conferencing to deliver interactive STEAM courses to public high school classrooms statewide. NCSSM Connect streams courses into local schools so students in rural and economically disadvantaged communities can take honors and AP-level computer science courses that local schools might not offer. NCSSM said computer science faculty provide instruction to public schools across North Carolina and connect the work to computational thinking.

Charles Robinson was appointed as Nutanix Endowed Professor of Computer Science at NCSSM. NCSSM said Robinson teaches exclusively through NCSSM Connect and delivers honors curriculum including Introduction to Computer Science, Intro to Artificial Intelligence and Computational Thinking, and Connected Computing to some 100 remote high school students each year. Nutanix said the endowment process was expected to be fully completed over the next three years, with six NCSSM Connect courses taught by Robinson beginning in fall 2026. “The grant lifts up communities that have historically lacked access to critical STEAM disciplines and shape the next generation of digital leaders,” said Jennifer Lepird, Chief People Officer at Nutanix. “We believe that innovation thrives when everyone has a seat at the table. Supporting this endowment reflects our commitment to using technology as a force for good by expanding access to computer science education in North Carolina - a place where many of our employees live and work.”

Provided by Globe Newswire on behalf of Nutanix. Click to read original content.