Empowering Black Futures Through Design and Digital Learning

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

Support African Elements at patreon.com/africanelements and hear recent news in a single playlist. Additionally, you can gain early access to ad-free video content.

A New Era for HBCU Digital Learning

The landscape of higher education for Black Americans is experiencing a significant transformation with the introduction of the eHBCU Consortium Portal. This groundbreaking digital learning initiative is a beacon of innovation, offering flexible and inclusive online educational experiences. Spearheaded by esteemed institutions such as Delaware State University, Southern University and A&M College, Alabama State University, and the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design (PLC) in Detroit, this portal represents a powerful stride forward for the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) community. The platform provides access to more than 33 degree and certificate programs, carefully crafted to support a wide array of learners (newsone.com).

Moreover, the eHBCU Consortium Portal is designed with academic rigor at its core, reflecting the historical excellence and distinctive teaching methodologies that define HBCUs. Students benefit from mentorship and career preparation guided by accomplished HBCU alumni and faculty, ensuring a holistic educational journey. Beyond academics, the portal cultivates a lively virtual community, fostering connections, networking opportunities, and enduring relationships. This platform welcomes everyone, including current HBCU students, alumni, and individuals who have never attended an HBCU, aiming to broaden its influence across the entire HBCU network and beyond (newsone.com).

The Visionary Behind the Movement: Dr. D’Wayne Edwards

Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, the esteemed President of Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, played a pivotal role in conceiving the eHBCU Consortium Portal. The idea for this innovative platform emerged in 2020, during the global shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Edwards observed that HBCU students were among the most affected by the sudden transition to virtual learning, as many institutions were not fully prepared for such a shift (newsone.com). Consequently, he collaborated with Dr. Tony Allen of Delaware State and Chancellor John K. Pierre at Southern University, recognizing a unique opportunity to make a historic statement.

This statement involved four HBCUs, each excelling in different areas and located across the nation, uniting to create virtual programming. This collaboration allows students to tailor their educational journey, providing unprecedented flexibility and access (newsone.com). Dr. Edwards himself is a highly respected figure in the design world, known for founding Pensole Design Academy, a non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, established in 2010 (archinect.com). His extensive background includes serving as a former Nike design director, which underscores his profound experience and influence within the product design industry, particularly in footwear (archinect.com). His leadership was instrumental in the reopening of PLC, as he spearheaded the effort to reinstate the HBCU with a renewed emphasis on design in addition to business (hbcubuzz.com).

Pensole Lewis College: A Historic Rebirth

Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design holds a unique and significant place in the history of Black higher education. It is Michigan’s first and only Historically Black College and University, located in Detroit (hbcubuzz.com; blackenterprise.com). An HBCU is an institution of higher education in the United States established before 1964 with the primary goal of educating Black Americans. These institutions were founded during a period when Black individuals faced severe obstacles to accessing higher education due to segregation and discrimination. They have played a crucial role in providing educational opportunities and nurturing leadership within the Black community (ccsdetroit.edu).

The original Lewis College of Business officially closed its doors in 2015, having lost its accreditation in 2007 (hbcubuzz.com). However, it made history by becoming the first HBCU to reopen, rebranding itself as Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design in 2021 (hbcubuzz.com). This reinstatement was largely due to a strategic partnership between the Pensole Design Academy and the College for Creative Studies (CCS) (ccsdetroit.edu). Detroit’s Mayor Mike Duggan has expressed strong support for efforts to have the Michigan Legislature officially designate PLC as Michigan and Detroit’s sole HBCU, highlighting the importance of having an operating Historically Black College in the predominantly Black city (ccsdetroit.edu). Historically, the Lewis College was a vital source of economic impact for Detroit’s Black community (hbcubuzz.com).

A Curriculum for the Future: Product Creation

Pensole Lewis College provides a truly unique educational experience, specifically designed to prepare students for success in the product creation industry. This field encompasses the entire journey of bringing a product to life, from initial concept and design to development, manufacturing, and ultimately, market launch. It integrates various disciplines, including industrial design, engineering, supply chain management, marketing, and business strategy. PLC’s curriculum aims to equip students with the essential skills needed to thrive in this dynamic sector (pensolelewiscollege.com).

Students at PLC learn directly from industry experts and professional designers who have worked with major global brands (pensolelewiscollege.com). The college offers a diverse range of programs spanning design, sustainability, business, and critical STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields (blackenterprise.com). A distinctive feature of PLC’s approach is its masterclass format, which involves intensive curriculums crafted to provide real-life experiences (blackenterprise.com). This “learn-by-doing” methodology is central to training students across these multiple disciplines, with coursework heavily influenced by corporate partners like Target (archinect.com). This ensures that the education remains relevant and responsive to the evolving demands of the industry.

Powerful Partnerships and Community Impact

Pensole Lewis College has forged significant partnerships with major corporations, which are crucial to its mission and provide unparalleled opportunities for its students. A notable collaboration is with Nike, through the “Future Sole | PLC” program, designed to empower HBCU students nationwide (hbcubuzz.com). This partnership is groundbreaking, being the first of its kind for any HBCU, and aims to create a more equitable playing field in design education for Black students (hbcubuzz.com). Dr. D’Wayne Edwards’ background as a former design director at Nike’s Jordan brand brings invaluable experience and insight to this collaboration (hbcubuzz.com). The program is structured to simulate a real-time professional environment, helping students develop essential skills and preparing them for successful careers in design (hbcubuzz.com).

Furthermore, PLC benefits from the sponsorship of numerous corporate collaborators, which enables it to offer free tuition and housing to its students (blackenterprise.com). These partners include the Gilbert Family Foundation, the NBA Detroit Pistons organization, Target, General Motors, PepsiCo, Ford, Nike, Footlocker, ASICS, Athletes Foot, Timberland, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, The North Face Company, and eBay (blackenterprise.com). These partnerships often involve curriculum input, ensuring that the education provided aligns with industry needs, and financial support, creating new pathways for young Black talent (archinect.com; afrotech.com). The reopening of Pensole Lewis College is also part of a larger $500 million investment aimed at revitalizing Detroit (blackenterprise.com).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.