Eight Morehouse scholars. Ten weeks. A summer spent building real infrastructure, learning alongside industry mentors, and discovering where their skills could take them.
From June 29 through September 4, 2026, the David Mykel Taylor Scholars turned classroom knowledge into hands-on experience with servers, Linux, networking, and the people behind Atlanta’s data centers.
SUMMER 2026 · JUNE 29–SEPTEMBER 4
The memories are in the work we did together: connecting real equipment, asking better questions, and meeting professionals who made a future in infrastructure feel within reach.
Summer infrastructure build
Scholars racked and networked servers at a solar-powered colocation site, configured Linux and network access, and documented system settings. Real equipment made the lessons tangible.
July 31, 2026 · QTS
A stop at the Freedom Wall captured a shared moment during the scholars’ summer QTS visit. Time with industry professionals connected the cohort’s work to the wider data center community.
July 31, 2026 · QTS
At the QTS career panel, students met the people behind reliable data centers and learned about the responsibilities and opportunities in infrastructure careers.
July 13, 2026 · Learning with Splunk
With Splunk’s Damian Herrick, scholars explored logs, dashboards, and AI-assisted investigation. Questions about a Python/FastAPI dashboard and Kubernetes monitoring connected the session to the systems students were building.
Summer outcomes
The paid, ten-week program paired technical work with employer visits, résumé reviews, and interview practice. The cohort produced an Amazon data center operations offer—a concrete next step from a summer of learning.
Thank you to QTS and AARI’s wider partner and mentor community for helping make this summer possible. See the summer cohort results.
May 5, 2001 - Forever 23
Born in Atlanta on May 5, 2001, David was a Georgia State University student, musician, volunteer, and a familiar presence at the GSU, Morehouse, and Spelman bookstores. He showed up for his community with creativity, confidence, and determination.
The David Mykel Taylor Scholars program honors that spirit: meeting adversity with purpose, continuing to build, and bringing others along. His legacy lives in the opportunities students create for themselves and the next generation.
THE FELLOWSHIP
AARI connects college scholars with hands-on infrastructure experience and opportunities to mentor younger learners. The work combines technical practice, industry relationships, and service.
Practice Linux, networking, server operations, and robotics. Document the work and learn to explain how the pieces fit together.
Connect lab work to careers through industry visits, technical conversations, and feedback from experienced mentors.
Help younger students explore STEM and robotics through hands-on activities. Build leadership by helping someone else learn.
The summer 2026 cohort is complete. Contact AARI for future college cohort timing and participation details.
Ask about future cohortsHelp students build experience through mentorship, equipment, industry access, or program support.
Partner with AARIDonateLooking for an introduction to data centers, robotics, or AI infrastructure? Explore AARI’s separate high school program.
High school application