Rockhurst University Receives $1M Grant to Bolster AI Education

Rockhurst University received over $1 million in federal Community Project Funding to build new programs focused on AI. FILE PHOTO.

Posted February 4, 2026

Rockhurst University has received over $1 million to establish new programs and facilities that will bolster artificial intelligence and technology education in the Kansas City region.

Rockhurst will receive $1.031 million in federal Community Project Funding, according to a release. House Resolution 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2026, is a fund with over $10 million to aid projects in Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District.

The university said it will use the funds for capital improvements and personnel in its artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, information systems, computer science and financial analytics programs

Additionally, Rockhurst recently made changes to its graduate business programs, integrating AI and other emerging tech. In fall 2026, its Master of Science in Data Analytics degree will become the Master of Science in Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence.

“We are grateful to have great partners in this effort to help meet the need for leaders in AI and cybersecurity in the Kansas City region and beyond,” Rockhurst University president, Dr. Sandra Cassady, said in the release. “This is about workforce development, but also more broadly about economic development for Kansas City in the future. This is about helping our region grow.”

The Kansas City region is currently home to more than 3,800 tech employees, including one in every 10 workers in Kansas City, according to the Kansas City Area Development Council. The U.S. Economic Development Administration designated the Kansas City region and the state of Missouri as “tech hubs,” in 2023.