FedEx kicks off the first day of Black History Month correctly, announcing today (Feb.1) that they are launching a student leadership ambassador program exclusively for HBCU students.
The transportation and e-commerce company will be offering students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) the opportunity to develop business management skills and learn directly from FedEx executives. FedEx’s program objective is to expand the company’s “pipeline for diversity,” according to Valdosta Daily Times.
Formally titled FedEx-Student Ambassador Program, the new program will launch in March, however the company has already selected students from the following HBCU’s to be the first cohort to begin:
- Jackson State University
- Tennessee State University
- LeMoyne-Owen College
- Mississippi Valley State University
- Lane College
- Paul Quinn College
- Miles College
- Fayetteville State University
Students from these HBCU’s that were chosen for the program were selected because they had specific career interests that were suitable for the FedEx brand. E-commerce, sustainability, IT/tech, logistics, marketing communications, sales, data/analytics, and operations, were some of the occupational interests held by the program selectees, according to Valdosta Daily Times.
FedEx’s new program assists in preparing HBCU students for the post-college workforce by providing seminars that are designed to be educational and empowering. Since the students chosen for the upcoming program’s start date in March are the debut FedEx-Student Ambassador Program cohort they will set the tone for the direction of the program.
“The first cohort of student participants will help set the direction for upcoming FedEx Ambassador programs, such as career pathways initiatives, HBCU leadership institutes, and student forums/think tanks,” according to Valdosta Daily Times.
This new FedEx program is an extension of the company’s local HBCU initiative that they announced in 2021. Last year FedEx pledged a commitment of $5 million to four HBCU’s in Mississippi and Tennessee. The transportation brand collaborating with HBCU’s to help prepare HBCU students for the “workforce beyond formal education,” was a part of the initiative’s goal, according to FedEx’s press release.
As noted by Valdosta Daily Times, “The FedEx-HBCU Student Ambassador program will continue to strengthen our important relationships with HBCUs across the country,” said Judy Edge, corporate vice president of human resources at FedEx. “We’re preparing tomorrow’s leaders, and the students we reach through this program will gain valuable practical experience that will help prepare them to enter the workforce. It will also help us to continue to bring diverse talent into our pipeline at FedEx.”