The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education and will fund the university’s Aligning Student Careers with Employment Networks and AI Development (ASCEND) program.
Indiana University Northwest has received a $3 million Strengthening Institutions Program grant from the U.S. Department of Labor on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. The funding will allow the university to launch its Aligning Student Careers with Employment Networks and AI Development (ASCEND) program, which will prepare students to enter into a workforce with a reliance on artificial intelligence.
According to an article on Indiana University Northwest’s website, university President Pamela Whitten was quoted as saying of the funding, “This $3 million investment is a powerful recognition of IU Northwest’s commitment to student success and to the communities it serves. Through ASCEND, IU Northwest will equip the region’s students with the skills and experiences they need to thrive in a rapidly changing workforce, while helping ensure that advances in AI translate into new opportunities for Northwest Indiana.”
IU Northwest Chancellor Arrick Jackson explained the ASCEND program and what the campus-wide initiative seeks to accomplish.
Jackson said, “ASCEND is an investment in workforce readiness and AI literacy resources for students, faculty and staff. By integrating artificial intelligence across our curriculum and career pathways, we are equipping our students with the hands-on experience, digital fluency and adaptability needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving workforce. Through ASCEND, our goal is that our graduates won’t just step into the workforce — they’ll be ready to lead in it.”
The goals of the ASCEND program include building institutional capacity and frameworks for responsible AI usage, integrating workforce and digital competencies into curriculum, and strengthening employer-driven pathways to create opportunities for successful careers for graduates in the region.
Additionally, the program’s funding will establish two new spaces for this work: the AI Pathways, Exploration and Experience (APEX) Lab and the ePortfolios for Professional Impact and Careers (EPIC) Studio. The APEX Lab will allow students to explore artificial intelligence, and the EPIC Studio will allow students to demonstrate their career readiness.
Other efforts made possible by the grant funding include the establishment of an AI Fellows Program and an AI governance framework, which will prepare faculty members to lead students toward ethical AI usage. The funding will allow for paid experiential learning opportunities, career readiness bootcamps, and a redesign of the curriculum.
Jackson said, “We see the difference these federally funded programs and initiatives are making in the lives of our students — strengthening retention and graduation rates, while also helping students feel that they belong. That is the kind of lasting impact we want to continue building for our students, their families and our region.”
The grant funding runs from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031. The investments and initiatives undertaken through the ASCEND program will prepare the university with an enhanced institutional capacity even after the funding runs out.
For more information about Indiana University Northwest, visit the school’s website.