CEDARVILLE, OHIO, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As artificial intelligence (AI) and data science transform industries, redefine professions and raise urgent ethical questions, universities are racing to prepare students for a future shaped by intelligent machines and vast data ecosystems. 

In response to this global shift, Cedarville University has launched a new academic initiative designed to equip students with cutting-edge skills in AI and data science — all grounded in ethical reasoning and biblical principles. The Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI) initiative will debut with six new courses in August 2025 and serve as a foundation for specialized tracks within the university’s computer science, cyber operations, electrical engineering, mathematics and physics programs. 

The initiative is the culmination of several years of interdisciplinary collaboration among Cedarville faculty. It began in 2017, when a group of professors with expertise in fields such as business analytics, computer science, statistics, physics and engineering began offering seminars and workshops on data science and machine learning. 

“In a world increasingly influenced by AI and machine learning, it’s crucial that Christian students not only understand how these technologies work but also help shape their development in ways that reflect biblical values,” said Dr. Steven Gollmer, senior professor of physics and one of the initiative’s founding members. “We want our students to lead in this space with both technical excellence and ethical integrity.” 

The DSAI courses will equip students with skills in widely used programming languages like Python, R, and SQL and competencies in data analysis, machine learning algorithms and AI applications such as neural networks and natural language processing. Just as importantly, the curriculum emphasizes ethical data use and theological reflection on topics like human creativity and the value of work. 

“AI opens the door to many opportunities, but it also raises challenging questions,” Gollmer said. “What does it mean to be human in an age of intelligent machines? How do we ensure that AI enhances, rather than diminishes, the dignity of work and the individual? These are questions our students must be equipped to answer.” 

The rise of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT helped accelerate the university’s efforts to finalize and approve the initiative. The new introductory course, DSAI-1000, will be available to students across all majors and is intended to introduce them to the ethical and technical dimensions of AI and data science. 

“This is just the beginning,” said Gollmer. “While our initial focus is on programs where our faculty already have strong expertise — like computer science, mathematics, physics, and engineering — we’ve designed this initiative to be flexible. Other disciplines, such as business, biology or education, will eventually be able to build their own tracks using the same DSAI core.” 

The initiative also highlights the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of modern technology. Data science, which blends computer science, statistics and domain-specific knowledge, has become essential across fields as diverse as health care, economics, linguistics and psychology. 

“Technology is reshaping nearly every profession,” Gollmer added. “By equipping students with strong data and AI skills — and by rooting that training in a Christ-centered worldview — we’re preparing them to lead with wisdom in a complex and rapidly changing world.” 

Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences, and professional fields. With 6,384 students, it ranks among Ohio's largest private universities and is recognized by The Wall Street Journal as being among the nation’s top three evangelical universities. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics, and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.  

Attachments

• NEW AI INITIATIVE STRENGTHENS EDUCATION
• KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Mark D. Weinstein
Cedarville University
937-766-8800
mweinstein@cedarville.edu