This first-of-its-kind partnership is for the next 5 years!
Streetwear brand PUMA has presented Clark Atlanta University with a $1 million check for students pursuing a career in sports, Yahoo New reports.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have always been the epicenter of Black Excellence. We told you everything you need to know about HBCUs and now we want to highlight the brands that are extending a helping hand to HBCU students!
Last month, we reported on Howard University’s 20-year partnership with Michael Jordan’s Jordan Brand. Now more sneaker brands are jumping in to create more opportunities for HBCUs. Earlier this month, PUMA announced a partnership with Clark Atlanta University that will span over the next five years.
George French Jr., Clark Atlanta University President stated, “Since its inception, Clark Atlanta University has cultivated a spirit of graduates that have gone to make impactful change, establishing their own legacies. We are thrilled to partner with PUMA, amplifying the opportunities available to the next generation of changemakers at Clark Atlanta University. This partnership is an opportunity to introduce our HBCU to the world.”
Students pursuing careers in sports apparel, information technology and supply chain management will get a first look into the career through customized curriculums, career prep, research projects, scholarships, and internships. They will also be a part of a semester-long mentorship program that will pair them with senior-level managers and employees.
According to Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for PUMA North America, Michelle Marshall, CAU having one of the most progressive fashion merchandising programs put them at the the top of PUMA’s list of HBCUs to work with. The brand also believes in pouring into HBCUs as much as PWIs. “They need to also make sure that they are spending their dollars just like they do with the Ivy League and all the other universities, make sure they are also spending their dollars equally with HBCUs,” Marshall said.
Marshall told Cassius, “It’s incredibly important to have partnerships like this because we want to ensure that we are giving access to these students. We know that in order for them to have access they have to have the skills and the resources to be able to enter into our field. This partnership will allow us to work with the students, mentor the students, provide scholarships to the students to ensure that we are building those relationships and really building awareness with them around all the incredible opportunities within our industry.”
Chief Brand Officer at PUMA Adam Petrick said, “In time, I think the goal would be that we’d have relationships with numerous HBCUs that we’d be able to tap into for upcoming talent for opportunities to expose ourselves to our consumer and be able to tap into their understanding of what our brand means and really be able to expand our vision and our understanding of the culture.”
Photos: PUMA / Atlanta Daily World