Today, Student Freedom Initiative announced a long-term strategic partnership with Morehouse College and Stats Perform, global leader in AI solutions for the sports industry, to create an "AI in Basketball" course. The partnership aims to offer education about applications of AI in sport, provide internships, and expand job opportunities upon graduation for students attending AUCC member institutions.
As the leading provider in sports data collection and predictive analysis—and as a portfolio company of Vista Equity Partners, whose Chairman and CEO Robert F. Smith paid off the student debt for the Morehouse graduating class of 2019—Stats Perform was a natural fit. Stats Perform’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion played a key role as well. CEO Carl Mergele commented, "At Stats Perform, we recognize the immense impact of DEI efforts on our communities, and on our own success and growth. Representation plays a vital role in fostering innovation and driving our collective potential to new heights. Stats Perform is thrilled to establish this partnership with the Atlanta University Center Consortium and the Student Freedom Initiative, and we look forward to driving change and hopefully creating a model for this type of program that others can follow," said Mergele.