FICO Expands Educational Analytics Challenge Program with Three New Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Educate Aspiring Data Scientists
FICO (NYSE: FICO) has expanded its Educational Analytics Challenge program by partnering with three new Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for the Spring '25 semester. The new institutions are J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, North Carolina Central University, and Fayetteville State University, joining returning partner Alabama A&M University.
The semester-long program, now in its second year, focuses on financial fraud detection, where students will develop transaction analytics AI models. For the first time, the program will include graduate students from North Carolina Central University and Fayetteville State University. FICO's Chief Analytics Officer, Dr. Scott Zoldi, and his team will provide weekly lectures and mentoring.
The program offers financial support to enhance analytics study at participating HBCUs and provides internship opportunities for student participants. Students will work on building real-time fraud detection models based on transactional behavioral analytics to identify and prevent banking fraud.
FICO (NYSE: FICO) ha ampliato il suo programma Educational Analytics Challenge collaborando con tre nuove storiche Università e College Neri (HBCUs) per il semestre di Primavera '25. Le nuove istituzioni sono il J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, la North Carolina Central University e la Fayetteville State University, che si uniscono al partner di ritorno Alabama A&M University.
Il programma, lungo un semestre e ora alla sua seconda edizione, si concentra sulla rilevazione delle frodi finanziarie, dove gli studenti svilupperanno modelli di intelligenza artificiale per l'analisi delle transazioni. Per la prima volta, il programma includerà studenti laureati della North Carolina Central University e della Fayetteville State University. Il Chief Analytics Officer di FICO, Dr. Scott Zoldi, e il suo team forniranno conferenze settimanali e mentoring.
Il programma offre supporto finanziario per migliorare lo studio dell'analytics nelle HBCUs partecipanti e offre opportunità di stage per gli studenti partecipanti. Gli studenti lavoreranno alla costruzione di modelli di rilevazione delle frodi in tempo reale basati sull'analisi del comportamento delle transazioni per identificare e prevenire frodi bancarie.
FICO (NYSE: FICO) ha ampliado su programa Educational Analytics Challenge al asociarse con tres nuevas Universidades y Colleges Históricamente Negros (HBCUs) para el semestre de Primavera '25. Las nuevas instituciones son el J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, la North Carolina Central University y la Fayetteville State University, que se unen al socio de regreso Alabama A&M University.
El programa, que dura un semestre y que ahora está en su segundo año, se centra en la detección de fraudes financieros, donde los estudiantes desarrollarán modelos de inteligencia artificial para el análisis de transacciones. Por primera vez, el programa incluirá estudiantes de posgrado de la North Carolina Central University y la Fayetteville State University. El Chief Analytics Officer de FICO, Dr. Scott Zoldi, y su equipo ofrecerán conferencias semanales y mentoría.
El programa proporciona apoyo financiero para mejorar el estudio de analytics en las HBCUs participantes y ofrece oportunidades de pasantías para los estudiantes participantes. Los estudiantes trabajarán en la construcción de modelos de detección de fraudes en tiempo real basados en el análisis del comportamiento transaccional para identificar y prevenir fraudes bancarios.
FICO (NYSE: FICO)는 Educational Analytics Challenge 프로그램을 확장하여 2025년 봄 학기에 세 개의 새로운 역사적으로 흑인 대학과 협력하게 되었습니다. 새로운 기관은 J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, North Carolina Central University 및 Fayetteville State University로, 기존 파트너인 Alabama A&M University와 함께합니다.
이번 학기 프로그램은 두 번째 해로, 금융 사기 탐지에 초점을 맞추고 있으며, 학생들은 거래 분석 AI 모델을 개발할 것입니다. 이번 프로그램에는 North Carolina Central University와 Fayetteville State University의 대학원 학생들이 처음으로 포함됩니다. FICO의 수석 분석 책임자인 Dr. Scott Zoldi와 그의 팀이 매주 강의와 멘토링을 제공할 예정입니다.
이 프로그램은 참가하는 HBCU에서의 분석학 연구를 강화하기 위한 재정 지원을 제공하며, 학생 참여자에게 인턴십 기회를 제공합니다. 학생들은 거래 행동 분석을 기반으로 실시간 사기 탐지 모델 구축 작업을 하여 은행 사기를 식별하고 예방할 것입니다.
FICO (NYSE: FICO) a élargi son programme Educational Analytics Challenge en s'associant à trois nouvelles Universités et Collèges Historiques Noirs (HBCUs) pour le semestre de Printemps '25. Les nouvelles institutions sont le J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, la North Carolina Central University et la Fayetteville State University, rejoignant le partenaire en retour Alabama A&M University.
Le programme, qui dure un semestre et qui en est à sa deuxième année, se concentre sur la détection des fraudes financières, où les étudiants développeront des modèles d'IA pour l'analyse des transactions. Pour la première fois, le programme inclura des étudiants de troisième cycle de la North Carolina Central University et de la Fayetteville State University. Dr. Scott Zoldi, Chief Analytics Officer de FICO, et son équipe fourniront des conférences hebdomadaires et un mentorat.
Le programme offre un soutien financier pour améliorer l'étude de l'analyse dans les HBCUs participantes et propose des opportunités de stage pour les étudiants participants. Les étudiants travailleront à la construction de modèles de détection de fraudes en temps réel basés sur l'analyse comportementale des transactions afin d'identifier et de prévenir la fraude bancaire.
FICO (NYSE: FICO) hat sein Programm Educational Analytics Challenge ausgeweitet und eine Partnerschaft mit drei neuen Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) für das Frühjahr '25 Semester geschlossen. Die neuen Institutionen sind das J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, die North Carolina Central University und die Fayetteville State University, die den Rückkehrpartner Alabama A&M University ergänzen.
Das ein Semester dauernde Programm, das nun im zweiten Jahr ist, konzentriert sich auf die Erkennung finanzieller Betrügereien, wobei die Studierenden AI-Modelle für Transaktionsanalysen entwickeln. Zum ersten Mal wird das Programm auch Studierende der Graduate-Programme der North Carolina Central University und der Fayetteville State University einbeziehen. Der Chief Analytics Officer von FICO, Dr. Scott Zoldi, und sein Team werden wöchentliche Vorlesungen und Mentoring anbieten.
Das Programm bietet finanzielle Unterstützung zur Verbesserung des Analytics-Studiums an den teilnehmenden HBCUs und bietet Praktikumsmöglichkeiten für die teilnehmenden Studierenden. Die Studierenden werden daran arbeiten, Echtzeit-Betrugserkennungsmodelle zu entwickeln, die auf transaktionalen Verhaltensanalysen basieren, um Bankbetrug zu identifizieren und zu verhindern.
- Expansion of educational program to three new HBCUs, increasing total participation to seven institutions
- Program includes internship opportunities at FICO for participating students
- Financial support provided to participating HBCUs for analytics study enhancement
- None.
Insights
This educational initiative, while commendable for its focus on AI and data science education, represents a long-term talent pipeline investment with minimal immediate impact on FICO's financial performance or stock value. The program's expansion to three new HBCUs demonstrates FICO's commitment to diversity in tech education but lacks material financial implications for investors.
The program's focus on financial fraud detection aligns with FICO's core business in credit scoring and analytics, potentially creating a specialized workforce pipeline. However, the investment scale and ROI timeline place this in the category of strategic corporate social responsibility rather than a market-moving development.
While FICO's market position in analytics software remains strong with a $48.7B market cap, this educational initiative represents a minimal portion of operational expenses. The program's expansion, though strategically sound for long-term talent acquisition, has negligible impact on current financial metrics or near-term stock performance.
The focus on fraud detection technology education could strengthen FICO's competitive position in the financial security sector, but the benefits are too distant and indirect to influence current market valuations. Investors should view this as part of FICO's broader ESG strategy rather than a material business development.
Students at J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, North Carolina Central University, and Fayetteville State University, as well as returner Alabama A&M University, join FICO’s Analytics Challenge, focused on combating financial fraud
Highlights:
- The FICO® Educational Analytics Challenge broadens to new partnerships with J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, North Carolina Central University, and Fayetteville State University. Alabama A&M University to return for year two.
- The 2024-25 Analytics Challenge continues its focus on financial fraud detection where students will develop transaction analytics AI models to detect fraud.
- Undergraduate and graduate students will learn how to use AI responsibly to fight fraud.
Global analytic software company FICO announced its FICO® Educational Analytics Challenge is set to partner with three new Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the Spring ‘25 semester, bringing the total to seven participating HBCUs in the 2024-2025 academic year. Currently in its second year, the semester-long program is designed to give students real world problems to solve using data and AI and inspire the next generation of data scientists. FICO’s Chief Analytics Officer, Dr. Scott Zoldi and his team of world-class data scientists will provide weekly lectures and mentor the students. Dr. Zoldi will also give in-person lectures at the schools to support the program.
For the Spring ’25 semester, FICO is expanding the program for the first time to students at J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College, North Carolina Central University, and Fayetteville State University, and continuing its partnership with Alabama A&M University. This semester also marks the first time the Analytics Challenge will be introduced to graduate students from North Carolina Central University and Fayetteville State University.
“My graduate students are excited about NCCU’s new AI partnership with FICO,” said Siobahn Day Grady, Ph.D., assistant professor and program director of information sciences at the North Carolina Central University School of Library and Information Sciences. “Our students are eager for hands on experience, working on a real-world AI problem with smart data scientists professionals that will help sharpen their skills for post-graduation career opportunities.”
The Analytics Challenge announces a new challenge each school year, focused on AI and analytics. The Spring ‘25 challenge will continue to focus on teaching students how to fight against payment transaction fraud. Criminals today often commit financial fraud by mimicking legitimate banking behavior to secure billions in customer funds, and banks need to leverage transactional analytics to identify and prevent fraud. The students will have the opportunity to build their own real-time fraud detection model based on transactional behavioral analytics to identify fraud.
“It’s very rewarding that schools are embracing the Analytics Challenge; the partnership with the faculty and student participants has helped grow the program tremendously since its launch,” said Dr. Scott Zoldi, chief analytics officer at FICO. “To continue FICO’s goal of educating and empowering the next generation of data scientists, we are also giving the Analytic Challenge participants the opportunity to participate in summer internships in my organization. We look forward to continuing our work to diversify and expand the industry with the best and brightest.”
The challenge also provides financial support to enhance analytics study for each participating HBCU and offers resources to learn more about internship opportunities for student participants. FICO is a proud participant in the HBCU Partnership Challenge, an initiative of the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus.
To learn more about the Educational Analytics Challenge:
- Dr. Scott Zoldi for Forbes Tech Council — Developing The Next Generation Of Data Scientists
- Dr. Scott Zoldi for FICO Blog — Using AI and Data Science to Fight Bias and Drive Opportunities
For more information about how HBCUs can get involved in the FICO Educational Analytics Challenge, please contact Seyi Mclelland at SeyiMclelland@fico.com.
About FICO
FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 80 countries do everything from protecting four billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by
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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116115319/en/
Julie Huang
press@fico.com
Source: FICO
FAQ
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