A couple of weeks ago Yahoo decided that they must do their part to encourage more diverse populations to pursue careers within the computer science and technology fields – so they donated 200 servers to Howard University and The University of Texas at El Paso – two universities known for their diverse student makeup. This isn’t a completely surprising move since Yahoo has maintained a relationship with Howard University since 2013 when they first donated 125 servers to them which were used to create the Yahoo Data Center at Howard. The new donation however follows up a recently held White House Demo Day which discussed women and minority founders within the technology field – which in turn made numerous companies take an initiative and help offer support and resources towards the career development of minority students.
Diverse ideas and perspectives drive innovation, and at Yahoo we strive to attract a diverse workforce and community where all of our employees feel welcome and inspired. However, this effort extends beyond Yahoo’s walls; we are constantly working to develop and expand relationships with key universities whose mission is to educate talented, diverse student populations.
Linode did something similar earlier on this year when they donated $1.2 million worth of servers to NJIT – and frankly I think this is a great idea all around. Brands such as Yahoo and Linode benefit from the good PR received from such a donation; while students get to work on newer technology – which in turn creates a more knowledgeable pool of potential employees for brands like Yahoo and Linode. Enjoy the new servers guys!