CodeCrew HQ relocates to University of Memphis UMRF Research Park
Nov. 8, 2021 — The University of Memphis Research Foundation (UMRF) Research Park is proud to announce that CodeCrew, a non-profit that empowers children and adults to be tech innovators and leaders, is relocating its headquarters to the University’s research park.
“One of the main goals of the research park is to connect, collaborate and share resources with innovative entrepreneurial companies,” said Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal, UofM executive vice president for Research & Innovation. “We’re proud to support organizations like CodeCrew to help further their mission of connecting underrepresented youth in Memphis to career pathways in technology.”
The UMRF Research Park is a center of creative empowerment and emerging innovation that preserves community spirit and amplifies opportunities in the Greater Memphis region and beyond. Established in 2019, the UMRF Research Park was created as a response to the rising need on the UofM campus for a resource that brought together the Memphis entrepreneurial ecosystem and the research capacity of our campus. The UMRF Research Park also works hand-in-hand with organizations to solve workforce and talent needs connecting the companies with the University’s faculty.
Founded in May 2015, CodeCrew has mentored more than 4,000 students through its innovative programs and events with topics ranging from web and mobile app development to robotics and drone programming.
“We are very excited to move our operations to the UMRF Research Park,” said Meka Egwuekwe, executive director of CodeCrew. “We now have more accessibility to innovate our programs and directly connect with employers, partners and aspiring developers.”
Of the nearly 2,000 kids CodeCrew serves weekly, 91% are Black and Hispanic youth, 47% are girls, and, overall, 89% of students are more likely to study computer science. In CodeCrew’s adult program, after training, the annual starting salary for Code School graduates in the computer science field is approximately $55,000. Prior to CodeCrew training, the annual starting salary for Code School graduates was approximately $16,000.
About UMRF Research Park
UMRF Research Park was founded by the team at the FedEx Institute of Technology and the Division of Research and Innovation at the University of Memphis to connect Memphis entrepreneurial ecosystem and the research capacity of The University of Memphis. https://www.umrfresearchpark.org/.
About CodeCrew
CodeCrew is a non-profit tech organization that empowers youth and adults in Memphis from underrepresented communities in tech to be tech innovators and producers through practical, hands-on computer science education and training. For more information about CodeCrew, visit www.code-crew.org.