Written by Howard University Newsroom Staff
Sprout Social, an industry-leading provider of cloud-based social media management software, today announced a $100,000 annual contribution to the Howard University School of Business for the creation and management of a Center for Digital Business, as well as related business education offerings and programming, over the next two years. This contribution will help support the hiring of the center’s director, develop course curriculum, and provide Sprout technology to aid in student and faculty research.
The Center for Digital Business will provide a space within Howard University’s School of Business to facilitate education, collaboration and innovation among students, faculty, staff and business leaders. This gift will help provide faculty and students at Howard exposure to innovative industry practices, access to top executives, and other relevant insight into digital business. Programming for the center will focus on three key areas: academic offerings, experiential learning opportunities and support for job readiness.
Sprout Social’s technology will support three courses for the Spring and Fall terms, including Publication Management, Introduction to Social Media Marketing and Marketing for Startups. Students in the Publication Management course this semester are using Sprout’s technology to market the HU Bottomline magazine. Sprout representatives visited campus in January to train students on the technology. In line with the school’s efforts to create a pipeline of diverse professionals with relevant skills and real-world experience, Sprout Social is providing mentorship to the student entrepreneurs in the Marketing for Startups course. The top ventures will compete in the annual HU Empower Pitch Competition this April, where Sprout will take part in selecting the cash prize winners. The company will also hold a faculty workshop next academic year.
“At Sprout, we believe it’s critical to play an active role in the development of the next generation of Black business leaders,” said Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Sprout Social, Cassandra Blackburn. “Our partnership with Howard University underscores our commitment to this endeavor and reinforces our goal of advancing the equity and justice of historically underserved communities. We’re excited to be building a multidimensional relationship with Howard University and look forward to supporting students as they ascend into their professional careers within tech.”
Howard’s partnership with Sprout Social was established in October 2021. Funds from this gift are being used to develop and deliver impactful programming as a bridge between the classroom and practical experiences for a successful career in digital business.
Etoulia Burnett, director of the Center for Digital Business at Howard University, said, “The Center for Digital Business is thrilled to have Sprout Social as a partner. As companies continue to integrate social media into their overall business strategies, it is important for students to get hands-on experience with technologies that prepare them to successfully design engagement solutions of the future. We look forward to a long-standing relationship.”
