As artificial intelligence continues to influence how institutions teach, operate, and prepare students for work, colleges are expanding practical training that moves beyond abstract discussions of the technology. Across campuses, workshops and redesigned courses are emphasizing hands-on experience, responsible use, and alignment with workforce expectations.
At Ohio University, Regional Higher Education (RHE) will host a series of in-person AI workshops this spring aimed at equipping both campus and community participants with immediately applicable skills. Supported by a Talent Ready Grant, the three-hour sessions are open to faculty, staff, students, and community members, including local businesses and nonprofit organizations.
The workshops combine guided instruction with structured time for experimentation. Topics include accessible AI platforms, grant-writing support, and strategies for using AI in everyday tasks and process improvement.
“RHE exists to expand access to learning and opportunity, and that includes preparing our communities for the tools shaping today’s workplaces,” said Lewatis McNeal, PhD, vice provost for RHE and partnerships at Ohio University. “These workshops reflect Ohio’s commitment to working alongside partners across the region, helping people build skills that support economic growth and community vitality.”
Tricia Denny, coordinator of RHE workforce initiatives and support, emphasized the practical orientation of the sessions. “Our goal is to offer training that is useful on day one,” Denny said. “Whether someone is strengthening a grant proposal, managing communications, or looking for ways to improve operations, these sessions provide practical strategies and a clearer understanding of how to use AI responsibly and effectively.”
Facilitators address ethical, legal, copyright, and privacy concerns that vary by profession, underscoring a broader institutional effort to embed responsible AI use into community-facing programming.
A similar emphasis on applied learning appears at Purdue University, where monthly AI Bytes sessions provide one-hour, hands-on workshops for instructors. Designed to help faculty integrate generative AI tools into their courses, the sessions focus heavily on time-saving applications and accessibility compliance. The goal is to equip instructors with practical strategies they can deploy immediately in course design, research preparation, and student engagement.
While Ohio University and Purdue concentrate on professional development and community engagement, Howard University has embedded applied AI directly into its academic curriculum. In collaboration with CodePath and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Howard redesigned its longstanding Intro to Artificial Intelligence course to align more closely with industry expectations.
“Howard has a long history of preparing students to not just succeed in today’s jobs, but to become leaders in the economy of tomorrow,” said Kimberly L. Jones, PhD, dean of the College of Engineering and Architecture at Howard University. “Building on many years of introducing students to traditional AI concepts, this course has been reimagined to reflect AI’s ongoing evolution and respond to what our students are asking for, and what employers now expect. By embedding applied AI directly into the curriculum, students who have successfully completed the class have both the foundational knowledge and the practical experience to lead in an AI-driven world of work.”
The course, collaboratively taught by Howard faculty and an instructor from CodePath’s industry-connected network, emphasizes AI-assisted software development, agentic workflows, and portfolio-ready projects. According to CodePath, employer signals of readiness increasingly include internships, technical interview performance, and demonstrable project experience.
Taken together, these initiatives reflect a broader shift in higher education. Rather than treating AI as a speculative trend, institutions are investing in structured, accessible, and experience-based learning that addresses classroom practice, operational efficiency, and workforce preparation.
