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Students from ���ӽ紫ý and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) will participate in the 2023 Summer Cohort June 5 to August 19.

More than 200 Mason students applied for the cohort. Selected participants will complete CodePath Org’s Technical Interview Prep course where they will engage with real-world software topics and practice technical interviewing.

The 10-week program is a unique opportunity for students in the greater Washington, D.C., region who want to pursue tech careers. In addition to coursework, students will have opportunities to participate in Amazon workshops, receive guidance from Amazon mentors, and attend events at Amazon HQ2. Students will receive a $5,000 scholarship upon program completion.��

“We look forward to welcoming this new cohort over the summer and using our resources to help educate students on the possibilities open to them in tech careers,” said Tiffany Blacknall Benjamin, senior manager, DEI higher education strategy and partnerships at Amazon. “It is important to us to help students develop critical skills that will give them a competitive advantage as they prepare to enter the workforce.”

The partnership between AmazonNext, CodePath, Mason and NOVA will expand and benefit the tech talent pipeline in the region and support regional universities and two-year colleges participating in the program.

"Amazon’s investment in ���ӽ紫ý and NOVA accelerates the development of a diverse work-ready talent pipeline for Virginia,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost of strategic initiatives and community engagement at Mason. “The AmazonNext program serves as a model for industry and academic partnership to deliver the workforce of the future, with technical and professional skills that respond to the demands of emerging technologies and an interdisciplinary workforce." 

Kammy Sanghera, executive director of the Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA), is leading Mason’s effort in the program. “Part of the IDIA’s mission is connecting students with industry members and our partnership with Amazon helps students to learn the skills necessary to be successful in the tech field after college,” she said. “By making these connections, we are supporting the growth of the tech talent pipeline that is already becoming prominent in our region.”

As part of the partnership, Amazon will sponsor technical programming, infrastructure, and strategy on campus, giving students in the Mason and NOVA communities additional opportunities for tech-related education and events.

“Our partnership with Amazon is an incredibly valuable resource for our students and campus communities,” said Chad Knights, vice president of information and engineering technologies (IET) and college computing at NOVA. “By expanding the tech-related opportunities available to students, we are helping to build critical skills and knowledge that will help students stand out as they begin their search for internships and employment opportunities in tech and innovation-related fields.”��

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