Nationwide — NBA legend Michael Jordan and his Jordan Brand are donating more than $1 million to Morehouse College, an HBCU in Atlanta, Georgia, to support students pursuing careers in journalism, sports, and digital media. The donation will fund scholarships while also helping the college to expand hands-on training for future journalists and content creators.
The investment comes as Morehouse opens a new Multimedia Center in its Department of Journalism in Sports, Culture and Social Justice. The college held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility on September 23, according to AfroTech. The center gives students a dedicated space to work on creative productions, digital storytelling, sports broadcasting, podcasting, filmmaking, and projects using emerging media technologies.
Students will also get training with professional equipment and opportunities to learn from award-winning content creators. The center is designed to connect classroom lessons with the practical skills students need in the media industry. Its resources can support students interested in traditional journalism as well as careers in newer areas of digital content and sports media.
Morehouse launched its journalism program in 2022, and the program has already helped more than 60 students earn advanced degrees in the field. Nearly 120 alumni have gone on to pursue careers in media and sports, according to the college. The new funding is expected to expand those opportunities by providing additional financial support for students studying journalism and sports-related fields.
Shauncey Mashia Stelly, senior director of global purpose for Jordan Brand, said the company was pleased to support Morehouse and its students as they prepare for their careers. She said the new center can give students more opportunities to learn, create, and develop their skills.
Mikki Harris, chair of the Journalism in Sports, Culture, and Social Justice department and an associate professor at Morehouse, said the program was built around understanding the purpose and social impact of storytelling. The new center adds a practical component to that education by giving students a place to apply those lessons through media production. Together, the scholarships and new facility will give Morehouse students more resources as they prepare for careers in journalism, sports broadcasting, filmmaking, podcasting, and other areas of content creation.