Atlanta Falcons Team Up With HBCUs To Offer Pipeline To Sports And Entertainment Jobs

The partnership that was designed to give students an edge

The Atlanta Falcons and Spelman College, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, and Clark Atlanta University continue collaborating on the AMB Sports and Entertainment Fellowship (AMBSE), a program designed to give students an edge as they pursue careers in sports and entertainment.

According to 11 Alive, the AMBSE was created in 2023 to give students at the program’s partner universities a chance to stand out after graduation–and this year has also been a success.

Since the program’s creation, it has now expanded from 12 fellows to 15 fellows and covers a wider range of departments in the AMBSE.

In August, the Atlanta Falcons issued a press release announcing that Wells Fargo had joined its initiative to offer fellowships to HBCU students in the Atlanta area.

According to the press release, the participants will now have access to roles within player engagement, live events, entertainment, stadium production, graphic design, brand communications, and more.

In addition, due to increased demand, more corporate partnerships have been added. Participants will receive hands-on experience from the Atlanta Falcons at their home field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They will also receive mentorship from associates and executives at Wells Fargo and AMBSE.

Latonda Henderson, the AMBSE’s chief DEI officer and a Spelman graduate, recently told 11 Alive that the program’s main benefit is opportunity.

“I know that all we need is an opportunity. There is so much talent, there’s so much passion, there’s so much enthusiasm on our campuses. So when we have the opportunity, and that door is open for us, there’s no stopping us,” Henderson said.

Tai Roberson, senior vice president of Philanthropy and Community Impact at Wells Fargo, told the outlet that the program’s students and alumni have been impressive so far.

“We are so proud of not only this initiative, but of the students and alumni of the program who continue to impress us with their work ethic, collaboration, and passion,” Roberson told 11 Alive.

In her comments, Roberson indicated that she was excited about the benefits for the program’s participants.

“Wells Fargo is The Bank of Doing and we are working to level the playing field by connecting HBCU students in Atlanta with their career goals and with financial education resources to prepare them for life after graduation,” Roberson said. “We are so proud to partner with the Falcons on this first-of-its-kind program that offers HBCU students from the top universities across Atlanta the chance to immerse themselves in the front office of a professional sports team and to experience how sponsors align with teams to drive positive change in communities.”