NORMAL (25News Now) – Illinois State University’s new interdisciplinary data science bachelor’s degree program just got a major funding boost.
Thursday, insurance broker State Farm gifted $3 million to the university’s new program. it will have its first class in fall 2025.
About $1 million of that funding is expected to aid faculty recruitment, as well as give ISU support and discretionary resources for faculty to use toward research, projects, equipment, and other professional needs related to data science.
ISU President Aondover Tarhule said the “generous gift” will help the university continue to lead in the “rapidly evolving field.”
“State Farm’s commitment is an investment in the next generation of leaders, who will learn to harness and interpret big data for the public good. We are deeply grateful for this incredible support and look forward to our continued partnership,” Tarhule said.
Additionally, State Farm put forward $2 million toward scholarships for students pursuing a data science major. By reducing financial obstacles to enrollment, the scholarships aim to bring more recruitment and retention of students from underserved backgrounds.
State Farm President and CEO Jon Farney said the company is proud to financially support the university, as many of its new employees often come from graduation.
“Our company employs many Illinois State graduates who help us deliver on our promises to customers,” Farney said.
“It is a privilege to make an investment in the new data science program and help advance this important field. We look forward to more Illinois State students and graduates having the opportunity to ethically innovate and excel with data science. This skill set is critical for all industries, including insurance,” Farney continued.
The data science program at ISU is relatively new, only getting approved in May 2023. The program aims to address increasing demands for data scientists in the workforce.
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