Preparing College Students for the Professional World

Gen Blog | Community

Written by Kim Allman | Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have served as essential resources for Black Americans for nearly 200 years. Since the early 19th century, they have provided education, community and upward mobility opportunities for Black students. Today, research show that they continue to out-perform peer institutions in terms of degree completion and household income at age 30.

At Gen, we’re proud to play a part in this legacy of setting students up for success. We’ve spent 2024 collaborating with HBCU Heroes, an organization working to empower HBCU students to compete in corporate America, the tech sector, entertainment, and beyond. In addition to a $20,000 donation, Gen team members mentor HBCU students directly, equipping them with the professional skills they need to excel in their careers after graduation. The inaugural cohort met for the fourth and final time via virtual group meeting on October 22.

Building Skills Through Mentorship

Over the past year, Gen team members have worked 1:1 with students at HBCUs, including Tennessee State University, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina A& T State University and more. Through quarterly meetups, they discuss specific topics related to the students’ career goals, as well as general professional skills such as resume building, interviewing and using LinkedIn as a networking tool. These virtual meetings involve discussions with the larger group of mentors and mentees, as well as individual conversations.

"It's been great to give back in a way that I needed when I was a student," said Jeremiah Whiteside, a Gen team member who served as a mentor. "I remember being in college struggling to figure out how to set myself apart in interviews or on LinkedIn and wishing more corporate workers that looked like me would share how they did it. We have had the opportunity to meet really talented students with great potential, and I can’t wait to hear more on their journeys."

Feedback from student participants was similarly positive. They cited not only specific insights they gained as a result of conversations with Gen team members but also the importance of representation.

“This experience was invaluable,” said Cheyenne Dew, a student at Prairie View A&M University in Texas. “I gained insight on what navigating the corporate world looks like, and I loved how different but helpful each mentor’s advice was... And it was refreshing to see the people who are in the positions we students are striving to be in.”

Visit.org was a key collaborator in executing this partnership.

Expanding Mentorship Throughout Our Industry

Mentorship has long been a hallmark of our Social Impact program at Gen. In addition to our talent development efforts, which include mentorship and internship programs, our Cyber Safety education and training programs are founded on the belief that dedicated mentorship can advance technical literacy and move our industry forward. We recently pledged to support Women4Cyber’s mentorship program to help close the gender gap in Europe’s tech sector, and our Corporate Responsibility intern has shared reflections on how she’s grown as a professional at Gen.

For more information on our investments in future generations of Cyber Safety professionals, read our 2024 Social Impact Report. These grants were awarded from the Gen Foundation, a corporate advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.