Bowie State University Student Research Demonstrates the Power of Data to Address Prince George’s County Community Challenges
Student projects examining transportation, health insurance, and housing stability create opportunities for continued collaboration, open data storytelling, and future innovation
LARGO, Md. — Prince George’s County recently had the opportunity to hear from Bowie State University students who presented three research projects using data to examine important issues affecting County residents. The presentations highlighted the value of connecting higher education, County data, technology, and real-world community challenges.
The students focused their research on three key areas:
- Transportation: Examining barriers to mobility and identifying recommendations to improve access for residents.
- Health Insurance: Analyzing gaps in health insurance coverage and identifying opportunities for stronger outreach and engagement.
- Housing Stability: Exploring housing instability, foreclosure, permitting needs, and other gaps that may impact residents and communities.
Beyond the research itself, the projects demonstrate the potential for student-led analysis to contribute to broader County initiatives. The findings and underlying data could be developed into data stories for Prince George’s County’s Open Data Portal, transforming academic research into accessible resources that help residents better understand issues affecting their communities while supporting data-informed decision-making.
The collaboration also presents an opportunity to expand the relationship between Bowie State University and Prince George’s County by exploring the integration of County-focused hackathons into the academic curriculum. Such an initiative could provide students with hands-on opportunities to work with real-world County data, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies to develop innovative solutions to community challenges.
Integrating hackathons into the academic experience could also establish a consistent pipeline for student engagement and support Prince George’s County Chief Information Officer Vennard Wright’s vision for ongoing hackathons and technology-driven innovation.
By bringing together students, educators, County professionals, technology, and data, the partnership has the potential to create meaningful learning experiences while generating ideas and solutions that can benefit Prince George’s County residents.
The student presentations represent an important example of what is possible when education, technology, data, and community impact intersect—turning classroom research into opportunities for real-world innovation.
About Prince George’s County Office of Information Technology
The Prince George’s County Office of Information Technology (OIT) provides technology leadership, services, and innovative solutions that support County agencies and enhance the delivery of services to Prince George’s County residents.
About Bowie State University
Bowie State University is Maryland’s oldest historically Black university and provides students with educational, research, and experiential learning opportunities designed to prepare graduates to lead and contribute in an evolving global society.
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