For the first-ever class of the NBA HBCU Fellowship Program, the NBA has opened the application window. The NBA Foundation will lead the Fellowship Program, which will provide undergraduate and graduate students from historically black colleges and universities with career development opportunities in the basketball industry (HBCUs).
Current full-time HBCU undergraduate (rising juniors and seniors) and graduate students can apply for a ten-week internship with the league office or teams this summer at careers.nba.com/early-career-programs/ now through Feb. 20, 2022. Candidates will be interviewed on a rolling basis, with offers being extended early in the spring. The NBA family is committed to a diverse and equitable hiring process, and they have enlisted the help of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community, to help with the recruitment of the more than 300,000 HBCU students they serve each year, as well as the entire HBCU network. For the inaugural cohort of fellows, TMCF will also handle housing and relocation logistics.
NBA teams and the league office will choose 60 fellows to work in a range of departments, including ticket sales, business partnerships, legal, social responsibility, marketing, and others. As part of their experience, fellows will be paired with a league or team employee mentor. They will also take part in meaningful professional development initiatives organized by the NBA league office and the NBA Foundation during the summer, including as a two-day orientation at the NBA league office in June, workshops, and team-building activities. Each fellow will be rewarded and given financial assistance during their transfer.
The NBA HBCU Fellowship Program is part of an expansion of the league’s ongoing commitment to historically black colleges and universities, which was announced earlier this season and includes new programs aimed at providing more opportunities for students and alumni, encouraging economic advancement, and further celebrating their rich traditions. As part of this agreement, the NBA will create new programs and events aimed at the HBCU community, with a focus on professional development, career advancement, and increased support and awareness for HBCU athletics and institutions, in order to help develop the next generation of Black leaders and increase the representation of Black talent across the NBA league office and teams.
To learn more about the NBA Foundation’s efforts to drive economic opportunity for Black youth, visit here.
