Menlo College expands AI and analytics education with Silicon Valley focus

Menlo College says its Bachelor of Science in Business with a major in Artificial Intelligence & Analytics launched in fall 2025, making it the first college in California to offer the degree. The program is aimed at preparing students for AI-driven jobs through business, ethics, hands-on projects and industry connections in Silicon Valley.

Why it matters: - Menlo College is betting that future employers will want graduates who can pair AI skills with business judgment, ethics and problem-solving. - The program is designed to help students move into an AI-shaped economy with practical experience, not just technical theory. - The college is also using the degree to build a broader campus AI ecosystem that reaches beyond one major.

What happened: - Menlo College launched a Bachelor of Science in Business with a major in Artificial Intelligence & Analytics in fall 2025. - The college describes the degree as the first of its kind at a California college. - The program sits in Silicon Valley and combines artificial intelligence, data analytics, business strategy, ethical reasoning and experiential learning. - Menlo College President Steven Weiner said the college is preparing students to lead in an AI-shaped economy with technical fluency, business insight, ethical reasoning and hands-on learning. - Mouwafac Sidaoui, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the School of Business, said higher education must anticipate the future and equip students for an AI-driven world.

The details: - Nargess Hassani graduated in May 2026 as part of the program’s inaugural class. - Hassani came to Menlo College from Afghanistan in 2022 after political upheaval disrupted educational opportunities for women. - During four years at Menlo College, Hassani worked on independent projects in computer vision, image recognition, machine learning and AI-powered career tools. - One project was an application that helps job seekers compare resumes against job descriptions. - Hassani said she wanted to build something practical that could help people improve the job search process. - Hassani said the best way to learn new technologies is by building something real. - Hassani also delivered a TEDx Menlo College talk, "We Are Not a Footnote: The Unsilenced Voice of the Afghan Girl," focused on resilience, identity and access to education. - Lachlan Ming ’27, an international student from Australia and a member of the Menlo College tennis team, used AI tools to launch GNG Engine, a platform connecting Australians studying at U.S. colleges and universities. - Ming said AI has become a bridge that allows people like him to turn ideas into reality. - This summer, Ming and other AI & Analytics students are taking part in Texas A&M University’s AI Venture Velocity Challenge. - In the challenge, the students are applying AI to drone scanning technologies. - Luciana Rodriguez ’29, a San Jose native and rising sophomore, said the program has taught her to use AI for innovation and problem-solving rather than as a substitute for learning and critical thinking. - Rodriguez said courses such as AI Ethics taught her about responsible AI governance and the broader societal impact of the technology. - Professor Tahereh Saheb, who helped develop the program, said the curriculum covers AI governance, data ethics, algorithmic bias and responsible innovation. - Menlo College also offers AmplifyAI, a higher education platform that gives faculty, staff and students secure access to more than 20 leading AI models. - AmplifyAI is intended to support AI literacy, prompt engineering and responsible AI use. - Angela Schmiede, senior vice president for enrollment and student success, said students need AI fluency and ethical reasoning as AI tools rapidly transform every industry.

Between the lines: - Menlo College is positioning the program as both a career pipeline and a values statement. - The student stories show the college using entrepreneurship, social impact and ethical training as proof points for its broader AI strategy. - The emphasis on experiential learning suggests the college wants graduates to leave with portfolio work and practical applications that employers can evaluate quickly. - The mix of international students and Silicon Valley ties gives the program a global-to-local recruiting angle.

What's next: - Menlo College is expected to keep expanding AI learning opportunities through Future Ready Now initiatives. - Students will continue to build projects, test applications and participate in external competitions tied to AI and entrepreneurship. - The college says it will keep integrating emerging technologies, career preparation and industry engagement across the student experience.

The bottom line: - Menlo College is using its AI & Analytics degree to sell a simple message: the future of work will reward students who can build with AI, question AI and use AI responsibly.