HUNTSVILLE – As Drake State Community and Technical College provides opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience, it continues to set standards of excellence.
The latest standard the school set is the FICO Educational Analytics Challenge this semester.
Drake State is the nation’s first community college to compete in the challenge which immerses students in real-world problem-solving using AI and data analytics.
The initiative provides Drake State students with applied knowledge in developing AI models to detect financial fraud, equipping them with essential skills for careers in data analytics and cybersecurity.
“We are excited to offer this opportunity to our students at Drake State,” said Lydia Owens, chair of the Computer Information Sciences and Business programs. “Our mission is to equip students for the future workforce, and this collaboration with FICO is a perfect fit.
“By partnering with leading data scientists, our students will gain invaluable experience in AI and Data Analytics through building the fraud detection model.”
Through weekly lectures and mentorship provided by FICO Chief Analytics Officer Dr. Scott Zoldi and his team of experts, students will learn how to combat financial fraud by building real-time fraud detection models based on transactional behavioral analytics.
Zoldi and FICO employees spoke with students on fraud detection and met with Challenge participants at Drake State and Alabama A&M. The students gained valuable insight into the challenges of guarding against payment transaction fraud and the new technologies aiding in the fight against financial crime.
