Autodesk donates $1.95 million to Howard University and celebrates the opening of new makerspace

• A $1.95 million donation from Autodesk will help Howard University launch a Construction Engineering Management program and prepare students for the future of digital construction.
• Howard University's College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) Makerspace today opens its doors, giving students a place to turn their ideas into real-world prototypes.
• The milestone builds on a growing partnership between Autodesk and Howard to expand access, opportunity, and hands-on learning for the next generation of engineers.

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Autodesk and Howard University today announced an expansion of its longstanding partnership through a $1.95 million unrestricted donation to support the development of a construction engineering and management program in Howard's College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA). The announcement comes as the university announced today the grand opening of the CEA Makerspace, a collaborative space focused on AI-powered design and digital fabrication where students can transform ideas into prototypes using the same technologies as industry professionals. 

"Our partnership with Howard University is rooted in a shared belief: that talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn't yet," said Dara Treseder, CMO of Autodesk. "We're committed to supporting Howard students and neighboring communities with the tools and technology they need to step into the jobs of the future. Howard's unwavering commitment to excellence, service, and truth is what makes this partnership possible. They are turning academic excellence into economic possibility, and Autodesk is proud to stand beside them. This is what happens when we stop talking about expanding opportunity and start building the spaces where it lives."

"This investment reflects the strength of our partnership with Autodesk and our shared commitment to preparing students to lead in a technology-driven world. At Howard University, we are grounded in a longstanding tradition of intellectual rigor and a commitment to innovation, ensuring our students are not only learning, but doing, with the tools and experiences to make an immediate impact," said Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA, interim president and president emeritus of Howard University.  

The new program arrives at a pivotal moment for the construction industry. In the United States alone, the sector represents nearly $2 trillion in economic activity and faces a growing workforce shortage, with hundreds of thousands of open roles projected annually over the next decade.* The program will help prepare students to lead complex construction projects across the entire project lifecycle, combining engineering expertise, design thinking, and digital construction skills. 

Through coursework and experiential learning, students will graduate with the interdisciplinary knowledge needed to oversee modern construction processes that increasingly rely on digital tools and integrated project delivery. 

A makerspace in the making 

Following the announcement of the expanded academic program, the university celebrated the opening of the new makerspace, a collaborative hub where students can design, prototype, and test their ideas. 

The opening marks an important milestone in a partnership that has been years in the making. In 2024, Autodesk donated $5 million to the CEA, the largest unrestricted philanthropic gift in the college's history, to help bring the vision for a state-of-the-art makerspace to life. That investment helped fund the equipment, technology, and educational programming for the makerspace, so that students can more readily access the tools and expertise needed to prepare for an increasingly digital workforce. 

"The makerspace builds on a longstanding collaboration between Autodesk and Howard faculty, who have integrated Autodesk software into coursework. Autodesk shares our goal of educating a prepared workforce ready to contribute immediately in engineering, design, construction, and advanced manufacturing jobs," said Kimberly L. Jones, Ph.D., BCEEM, F. AEESP, dean of the Howard University CEA. 

Where Howard students can design, prototype, and build

The makerspace will serve students across CEA and other disciplines, creating a collaborative environment where students from multiple disciplines can explore engineering, design, and advanced manufacturing technologies. 

The 3,400 square foot space, which houses a digital fabrication and advanced manufacturing area, a computer and design lab, and a collaboration zone, will also support outreach efforts designed to introduce younger students to STEM education. The makerspace will integrate SAE International's A World in Motion® (AWIM) PreK-12 STEM program, expanding hands-on learning opportunities to inspire the next generation of engineers and innovators.  

Inside the facility, students will have access to AI-powered tools and environments designed to support collaborative, interdisciplinary learning.  

The makerspace will serve as a true collaboration hub that will enhance collaborations across engineering, architecture, computer science, business, and other disciplines through collaborative projects for all classes, as well as senior capstone projects including Formula SAE and Aerodesign.  

Advanced prototyping equipment, industry-grade computer-aided engineering (CAE) software, and virtual reality (VR) capabilities will be available to students from various disciplines, inspiring young students to explore STEM activities through partnerships with foundations, industry partners, and local schools.  

Closing the skills gap in Design and Make

As technology rapidly reshapes design and engineering industries, the need for a workforce equipped with both digital and hands-on skills continues to grow. Yet many students say they don't feel prepared for the jobs ahead. Autodesk's recent Career Readiness Report** found that nearly half of U.S. college students don't believe they are learning the AI skills they will need to land a job, 70% say they want more classes focused on solving real-world problems, and fewer than 40% feel they have access to the industry-grade tools they'll be expected to use in their careers. 

Howard University's CEA makerspace and proposed construction engineering management program are uniquely designed to give students access to the same tools, workflows, and collaborative learning environments used in industry. The university is preparing graduates to step confidently into AI-powered jobs across architecture, engineering, design, and construction. Industry-academia partnerships with institutions like Howard University are critical to helping build a stronger and broader pipeline of top-tier professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, ensuring the next generation has the skills needed to succeed.

* Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)
** Autodesk's Career Readiness Report was conducted by third-party analytics firm GlobalData: GlobalData surveyed 1,500 students ages 14 to 23 across high school, university, community college, and vocational/trade school.

About Autodesk
The world's designers, engineers, builders, and creators trust Autodesk to help them design and make anything. From the buildings we live and work in, to the cars we drive and the bridges we drive over. From the products we use and rely on, to the movies and games that inspire us. Autodesk's Design and Make Platform unlocks the power of data to accelerate insights and automate processes, empowering our customers with the technology to create the world around us and deliver better outcomes for their business and the planet. For more information, visit autodesk.com or follow @autodesk. #MakeAnything

About Howard University
Howard University, established in 1867, is a leading private research university based in Washington, D.C. Howard's 14 schools and colleges offer 140 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs and lead the nation in producing African Americans with professional doctoral degrees. Howard is the top-ranked historically Black college or university according to Forbes, the only HBCU with an R1 research institution designation, and the only HBCU ranked among U.S. News & World Report's Top 100 National Universities. Renowned for its esteemed faculty, high achieving students, and commitment to excellence, leadership, truth and service, Howard produces distinguished alumni across all sectors, which have included the first Black U.S. Supreme Court justice and the first woman U.S. vice president; a Nobel Prize laureate; Schwarzman, Marshall, Rhodes and Truman Scholars; prestigious fellows; and over 170 Fulbright recipients. Learn more at www.howard.edu.

SOURCE Autodesk, Inc.