Investing in the Next Generation of Leaders: Black History Month

Syreeta McAuley | Principal Conversational Designer

Did you know, HBCUs, while representing less than 3% of colleges in the country, produce 46% of Black women engineers. We’re thrilled to kick off the second year of our partnership with HBCU Heroes as part of our ongoing celebration of #BlackHistoryMonth.

The organization works to empower students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to compete in corporate America, including the tech sector. Our partnership gives Gen team members the chance to mentor HBCU students directly, helping equip them with the professional skills they need to excel in their internships and careers after graduation.

In 2024, we provided $20,000 and 105 employee volunteer hours to mentor and support 65 HBCU students. “This program gave me valuable insight that was personal and relatable,” said Meaghan Lewis, a biology student at Tennessee State University, who completed our inaugural year of the mentorship program in 2024. “I loved the one-on-one discussion with my mentor, who was very attentive to my needs and questions, and the program overall made me feel more secure and confident in my capabilities.”

Gen mentors will lead four sessions in 2025 that each focus on specific professional skills, including a resume building workshop, mock interviews and an in-depth discussion about career journeys. Mentors are encouraged to share their experiences about career paths, transitions, navigating corporate culture and more.

We can’t wait to meet this year’s cohort at our first virtual session on March 19th. For more information on our work with HBCU Heroes check out this blog post.