Courtesy of Spelman College
Spelman College announced a partnership with Spotify to expand NextGen, Spotify’s program designed to infuse, activate and grow podcast culture on Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) campuses across the United States. This new initiative is supported by the Spotify Creator Equity Fund, which powers the company’s commitment to showcasing and uplifting creators who have historically been underrepresented in the audio industry.
Spelman is the first HBCU to offer NextGen programming beginning early next year during the spring semester.
“We look forward to collaborating with Spotify on the new NextGen programming that will be offered to help further elevate the voices and creative content of our students,” said Helene Gayle, M.D., MPH, president of Spelman College. “At the core of what drives the Spelman experience is our students’ ability to combine their academic learning and practical experiences as pathways to career and entrepreneurial opportunities. Thank you to Spotify and Michelle Hite, Ph.D., associate professor of English at Spelman, who helped make this partnership possible.”
Spotify currently partners with the University of Southern California, University of Pennsylvania and New York University to offer NextGen podcast programming and curriculum. In partnership with Spelman, Spotify intends to leverage this impactful program to create a new class of Black content creators, equipping them with tools and resources to develop their podcast skills set. Spotify will also connect HBCU students with a roster of experts from Spotify’s Studios team as well as the voices of their Originals & Exclusives in hopes of inspiring them about a career in podcasting and offering a chance to hear first-hand about how to make it in the audio industry.
“As an HBCU grad myself, I know first-hand the remarkable energy and creativity that flows through these institutions. It’s palpable,” said Kristin Jarrett, equity & impact strategy and outreach lead at Spotify. “NextGen allows us to get closer to this exceptional pipeline of Gen Z talent and storytellers, powering our goal of having a diverse roster of creators on our platform on our road to 50 million creators and one billion users.”
Here are some of the NextGen initiatives Spotify intends to bring to Spelman College:
- Dedicated on-campus podcast recording space with professional equipment
- Events featuring Spotify executives and podcast talent
- Spotify support of existing, relevant curriculum and access to tailored training programs
- Co-creation of student-led original audio content
- Potential Academic scholarship support
- Consideration to participate in a 10-week Spotify internship program
