Ripple Strengthens Academic Connections: Investments in Morgan State University Help Shape the Future of Finance and Technology

• Ripple has invested $1 million in Morgan State University’s National Fintech Center to fund education, research and technological advancements as part of the company’s Blockchain Research Initiative.
• Morgan State joins more than 50 other institutions in 26 countries funded by Ripple to advance blockchain innovation and education.

Ripple has invested $1 million in Morgan State University’s National Fintech Center as part of its initiative to advance blockchain research and development at leading universities globally.

The California company announced the new partnership on Tuesday, with the Baltimore, Maryland-based university saying the funding would help it maintain its leadership in fintech education and research.

See more

This is not Ripple’s first investment in Morgan State. In February 2019 the company announced a multi-year fintech program at the university, which would include developing new curricula and expanding existing technology and finance courses to include blockchain. Morgan State would also be the headquarters for the company’s funding efforts for other historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Commenting on the partnership, the fintech university’s founding director, Ali Emdad, described it is a catalyst “that stimulates our ability to innovate, collaborate and prepare our students to be at the forefront of the FinTech revolution”.

“This partnership is aimed at equipping a new generation of business thinkers and innovators, ensuring they are well-versed in FinTech and blockchain technologies to meet upcoming industry demands,” Emdad added.

Lauren Weymouth, who leads university partnerships at Ripple, pledged the company’s continued support of Morgan State and other universities, saying it is rooted in “our vision that blockchain technology is a force for good.”

Weymouth commented:

As cryptocurrencies and blockchain become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, these university partnerships become absolutely essential: we are giving the next generation the tools they need to shape our financial future.

Ripple shapes the future of fintech through university partnerships

The partnership with Morgan State is part of Ripple University’s Blockchain Research Initiative, launched six years ago. This initiative has seen the company fund over 50 universities in two dozen countries. It has led to the formation or expansion of over 600 courses and the funding of over 1,500 blockchain research projects.

In addition to the check, Ripple offers other forms of support to universities. At Morgan State, it sponsored a student-led hackathon this year, attracting more than 150 participants from HBCUs. The event featured a workshop on the XRP Ledger, from which a sustainability idea offering community-driven incentives emerged as the winner.

Eric van Miltenburg, senior vice president of strategic initiatives at Ripple, commented:

The appetite for cryptocurrency and blockchain knowledge among our next generation is growing, and HBCUs in the UBRI network are leading the way to ensure that interest is supported. We are excited to see how Morgan State continues to empower its students and launch ambitious projects that will diversify the XRP Ledger ecosystem for years to come.

With the latest funding, the university will combine blockchain with artificial intelligence and machine learning, enabling students to innovate on three of today’s leading technologies.

XRP is trading at $0.5099, and although it has gained a paltry 1% over the past day, it has managed to stay above the $0.5 level, which offers crucial support amid growing anticipation of new developments in the case of the SEC, as CNF reported.

Recommended for you:

Fuente