Project purpose: prairie view a & m university (pvamu)'s air panther nextgen network project will mitigate the digital divide at pvamu and its designated anchor communities in two tiers

The first tier consists of internal-facing focus activities that will impact pvamu's infrastructure relating to (a) broadband, (b) technology-mediated classroom connectivity, and (c) educational initiatives. The second tier will be community-centric and will aim to produce responsible digital citizens and a diverse technology-literate workforce with outcomes that support a robust economy through digital education training and distribution of equipment.activities:prairie view a & m university (pvamu)'s air panther nextgen network (apnn) proposal consists of a BI-level framework to support six activities. The first tier supports an institutional focus with activities that impact pvamu's broadband and educational infrastructures. Relating activities include: (1) upgrading the university's infrastructure to reduce WI-FI congestion in areas with high density of devices; (2) facility enhancement through investment of smart technology and training for faculty and staff members to support the development of a technology-mediated learning environment; (3) virtual reality augmented classroom and content to support the development of virtual instruction; and (4) develop a continuing education non-academic platform to facilitate and sustain an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem to produce programs that fulfill the requisites of internal and external stakeholders. The second tier supports a community focus aimed at digital literacy and training. Activities include the procurement of laptops to support students in need of access to personal device, creating a digital skills training program for pvamu students and the cities of hempstead and prairie residents to stimulate the adoption of and community's right to innovative internet connectivity.outcomes:as a result of implementing the activities, prairie view a & m university will be able to provide next generation network capability (air panther) to campus faculty, staff, and students. Classroom enhancements will increase digital tools to develop effective course delivery in a technology-enhanced environment. Virtual reality will provide an immersive experience for users to engage in educational activities and locations that are not limited to physical classroom spaces. The development of continuing education will provide remote learning opportunities to support life-long learner engagement, manage non-traditional student lifecycle, provide a student-first experience, and provide personalized digital-centric pathways for lifelong learning pathways to upward mobility. Students and residents within the designated anchor communities will receive digital skills training to stimulate the adoption of and innovative internet connectivity.beneficiaries:pvamu's air panther nextgen network (apnn) will serve students, staff, faulty members, and members within the designated anchor communities in prairie view and hempstead, texas on its campus. The on-campus infrastructure upgrade will support and expand broadband access to all students, university stakeholders, and the surrounding members of the anchor community. Pvamu's students will benefit from classroom connectivity and educational initiative program to support various education opportunities and academic success. Members of the designated community members will support the development of digital training and enhancement of digital literacy through the stimulation and adoption of internet connectivity.subrecipient activities (if applicable):the recipient does not intend to subaward funds.