Call for Big Tech to Tap HBCU Talent
November 12, 2025
A federal legislator representing Silicon Valley recently called on big tech firms nationwide to increase their workforce diversity by “looking for talent in every zip code,” including at historically Black colleges and universities. Freeman A. Hrabowski III and Peter H. Henderson would agree, citing in Issues the proven success of HBCUs in preparing students for careers in science and engineering. And they argue that it’s more than a matter of equity: “When we have greater diversity of representation, we also have greater diversity of information, knowledge, lived experience, and perspectives—each of which enhances discovery and innovation.”