Pasadena – Assemblymember Anthony Portantino joined officials from the University of California at a press conference today in Pasadena to unveil a summer fellowship program for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Twenty five undergraduate students from HBCUs will be selected to participate in the program offered through the UC Summer Institute for Emerging Managers and Leaders. The two-week fellowship will provide undergraduates with business development opportunities that will showcase MBA's and other business graduate degrees at UC campuses.
The summer fellowship is the culmination of five years of advocacy by Assemblymember Portantino and Pasadena publisher Joe Hopkins, for academic partnerships linking HBCU with the University of California.
"I am very excited about the launch of the summer fellowship for emerging leaders," stated Assemblymember Portantino. "California needs to do everything it can to generate entrepreneurs and innovators. Creating academic opportunities between the University of California and Historically Black Colleges and Universities is a creative way to connect talented HBCU students with our outstanding business schools. It was an idea that came from community members in my district and I am very pleased to have facilitated this into an outstanding educational opportunity."
"Today's event is evidence of the efforts being made in education to bring together students from all walks of life," said Joe Hopkins. "Students and their families expect the campuses to be diverse and to reflect the broader community. This program will not only benefit the students from UC and HBCUs, but the community as well."
The UC fellowship offers a two-week, all-expenses-paid training program for 25 first and second year students from HBCUs. The program will rotate through the University of California's six participating business schools beginning with the first session this May at the Haas School of Business on the campus of UC Berkeley. Each group of Summer Institute Fellows will learn from UC graduate business school faculty, CEOs, CFOs and other industry leaders.
"UC is extremely happy to encourage HBCU students to participate in a management program hosted by our outstanding and highly competitive business schools," said UC Provost Lawrence Pitts. "We hope the experience for those students selected to attend SIEML will aid them in successful enrollment in professional degree programs such as the MBA. We also will secure summer working internships as feasible to introduce students to a management environment and prepare them for active management and leadership positions."
"The University of California is well known to be a global definer of innovation and impact," Rady School Dean Robert Sullivan said. "The immense successes of the University are in part a consequence of its openness to diversity at all levels. SIEML is a next important step in community engagement – developing deep and sustaining partnerships with HBCUs and their communities that will take innovation and opportunity to the next level."
Further details and applications (due March 30) visit the website: http://sieml.universityofcalifornia.edu. To send an email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
