The Womenâs National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Mielle, one of the fastest-growing Black-founded and women-led beauty brands, announced today an expansion of their third-year partnership to include a new Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) initiative. At the start of the 2023 season, Mielle made history as the first âOfficial Textured Hair Care Partnerâ of the WNBA and will continue to serve in that capacity and as an Official Marketing Partner.
The WNBA and Mielle will launch the HBCU Event Intern Program at the AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025, which is a one-of-a-kind event internship experience that provides career development opportunities in the business of basketball for a select group of HBCU students. For the first time ever, this program will be held at the WNBAâs largest marquee event.
The initiative marks the leagueâs first social impact program focused on HBCUs. The HBCU Event Intern Program will provide networking opportunities, meet-and-greets with WNBA players, presentations from league staff, community service initiatives, and opportunities to shadow league staff throughout various departments.
A diverse group of students will be selected from various HBCUs, including two student athletes from the Lady Pirates basketball team at Hampton University, with which Mielle proudly maintains an ongoing partnership.
âMielle has played an integral role in helping the WNBA set a new standard when it comes to engaging the community,â said WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison. âOur continued work together paves the way for an even greater and more sustainable impact, especially with a new student event intern program that will support the next generation of leaders.â
âWeâre proud to continue elevating the best womenâs basketball talent in the world with our third year growing with the WNBA,â shared Monique Rodriguez, Mielle Founder & CEO. âThis year, we are even more excited to introduce the HBCU Event Intern Program to continue helping students achieve their career dreams in the sports business.â
Mielle will return as associate partner of WNBA Live, a multi-day interactive fan festival at AT&T WNBA All-Star that celebrates the intersection of the WNBA, fashion, music, and culture. As a WNBA Live partner at AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025 from July 18-19 in Indianapolis, Mielle will host an on-site activation that includes a sampling of their products and player meet-and-greet opportunities.
Mielle will also be an associate partner for the WNBA Draft 2025 presented by State Farm, which will take place on Monday, April 14.
About Mielle
Founded in 2014 by CEO Monique Rodriguez, Mielle is the fastest growing Black-founded and women-led global beauty brand. With a heavy emphasis on incorporating healthier ingredients and a âroot to resultsâ approach, Mielleâs collection of beauty products is designed for all hair types. Today, Mielle is a global and viral sensation, with orders in over 90 countries around the world. Their products can be found in more than 100,000 stores across the U.S. in retailers such as CVS, HEB, Rite Aid, Sally Beauty, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, and Walmart.
About the WNBA
Tipping off its 29th season in 2025, the WNBA celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it. The league was ranked by Morning Consult as the fastest-growing brand in 2024, and No. 4 on Fast Companyâs list of the Worldâs 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2025, on its way to setting records for engagement on social and digital platforms, attendance, merchandise sales and unique viewers across its broadcast partners. The WNBAâs commitment to societal impact is supported by the first-of-its-kind WNBA Changemaker Collective, a group of purpose-driven companies that have partnered with the WNBA to enhance the player experience, build the brand of the league and players, inspire innovation and connectivity, increase media coverage and visibility, and help drive the leagueâs business transformation. AT&T, Carmax, Deloitte, Google, and Nike are currently part of the WNBA Changemaker Collective.