In 1837, the saga of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) began a sturdy foundation that arguably built the African American community.
HBCUs yield more than a quarter of all African-American graduates in the country. In the 2017-2018 academic school year, 48,300 degrees were conferred by HBCUs. Every 365 days, nearly fifty thousand young minds complete a life changing cultural experience known as the HBCU-experience. After this educational rite of passage, graduates have the tools, knowledge, experience and network to accomplish their dreams and change the world. Many civil rights leaders, doctors, religious leaders, bankers, writers, Olympians, lawyers, musicians, engineers, actors, humanitarians, professional athletes, educators, scientists, and politicians that are woven into the advancement of The United States of America and beyond hail from Black colleges. Right now, more than ever, we need these leaders.
For the sixth year in a row, we recognize the significant achievement of alumni from these prestigious powerhouses. Various industries of former Top 30ers include sports, STEM, entertainment, media, business, public service and fashion. Check out the former classes here. From the youngest person to ever make the list, Clark Atlanta University’s Kahlil Darden at 19-years-old, to international superstar, Lil Yachty, this year’s top 30 is a diverse group of Black excellence. Congratulations to the 2020 HBCU Top 30 Under 30 Class.
Remoshay Nelson
Capt. Remoshay R. Nelson made history in the U.S. Air Force as the first Black woman since the team’s inception in 1953. Nelson’s position is a highly selective one, only 332 officers have made the cut. She is one of 12 Thunderbirds and the first black woman to serve. She serves as the Public Affairs Officer for the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, Nellis Air ForceBase, Nev. As Thunderbird No. 12, she leads the team’s extensive marketing, publicity and community relations programs. Nelson is in her first season with the team.
Nelson entered the Air Force in 2011 with a Reserve Officer Training Corps commission from Howard University. She served as a diversity recruiter in the Gold Bar Program before completing the public affairs qualification course at Fort Meade, Md. Following training, she was assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office at Dover Air Force Base, Del.as the chief of media operations. Nelson then served in public affairs assignments in Turkey, Botswana and various locations in Europe. Prior to joining the Thunderbirds, she was the Chief of Public Affairs, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
Nelson is native of Douglassville, Georgia, a proud graduate of Howard University and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Miles “Lil Yachty” McCollum
Miles Parks McCollum, professionally known as Lil Yachty, is not your average rapper, singer or songwriter. McCollum is very forward about not rapping about drinking or doing drugs. The Atlanta, GA native made his debut in 2014 and since that time, he’s dropped 4 studio albums, with another scheduled to debut August 2020. McCollum attended Alabama State University in 2015 before his musical career catapulted.
When he isn’t in the studio or onstage, the red-haired millennial spends his time sailing, designing and modeling. The trending artist pioneers his own lane, infusing his music with purpose and history, with songs like “Oprah’s Bank Account,” which pays homage to the media mogul’s wealth. With lyrics like “I don’t even drink liquor,” and “They call me Lil Boat-Hollywood chilling, but I don’t do coke-I stayed afloat,” this young artist is is a bold alternative to the typical stereotype of gang-banging and drug-dealing rappers.
The 22-year-old is associated with Motown, Capitol Records, Quality Control Music and Capitol Music Group. McCollum has a number of hit singles including “Broccoli” and “iSpy.” The young artist was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Collaboration, he was nominated for an iHeart Music Video Award for Best New International Artist and he was nominated for a MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video for his single “iSpy.”
Shawn Wilkinson
Shawn Wilkinson received his first computer at 6-years-old and 18 years later, his company raised $30M. The tech pioneer graduated from Morehouse College in 2014, where he studied Computer Science. That same year, he founded Storj Labs, an open source, decentralized file storage solution with a goal of making cloud file storage faster, cheaper, and private. Wilkinson is currently Storj’s Chief Strategy Officer. Wilkinson’s business is most known for a token sale that raised $30M dollars in just 7 days.
He received his first computer at 6-years-old and taught himself how to navigate and fix things on the computer. At 8-years-old, the native Atlanta began his entrepreneurial journey with pillows. At school, he decided that pillows looked easy to make and he thought that he could sell them. After gathering the materials, he needed from Walmart, after a trip with his mother, he created his pillows and sold them until he had around $200, to which he said “That’s Lambo money for a kid!” He saved 100% of his profit. By the 6th grade, he graduated from pillow-making to website development. In the 7th grade, his tech roots really began, and he began to code. By high school, Wilkinson was teaching online tutorials on his own YouTube channel about how to build websites through persona super3boy.
Wilkinson thought of the idea for Storj when he attended a Texas Bitcoin Hackathon. He worked on the idea of disrupting cloud storage using bitcoin’s blockchain technology and this laid the foundation of his current company! The year the company was founded, he raised half a million dollars and over the next couple years, 2015-2017, it raised $3M. Shawn hopes that within the next decade, most of the world will store their data on his platform.
Lachavious Simmons
Lachavious Simmons is the only player to graduate from a historically Black college or university that was taken in the National Football League (NFL) draft. Simmons was selected as No. 227 in the seventh round and now plays offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears.
He is a proud graduate of Tennessee State University where he studied Human Performance and Sport Sciences. He also played on the football team as offensive lineman. The redshirt senior from Selma, Alabama, is Tennessee State’s 24th lineman to be drafted into the NFL and he is the 122nd player in the history of the university to be selected for the NFL. Simmons wears the No. 73 jersey.
Vena “Pretty Vee” Excell
The more she reveals, the more we learn that Vena Excell is more than pretty face or a hilarious influencer. Excell, known by her stage name, “Pretty Vee” or “Vena E,” a graduate of Saint Augustine’s University where she studied mass communications. At Saint Augustine’s, Vena launched her own radio show named “Lounge 22” on WAUG Power 750 AM.
After graduating, she became an intern at the V-103 The People Station in Atlanta, Georgia. Vena found herself doing promos and working for a record company. She stumbled into comedy and within just 3 years, she has found her place! The young Miami-native and entrepreneur already has millions of followers and she is a recurring cast member on the MTV and hit show, Wild ‘n Out. The comedian, host and influencer has a myriad of talents and a portfolio of businesses.
Dr. Nishan Pressley
Dr. Nishan Pressley is the first and only African-American to graduate from the Accelerated Scholars Optometry program, where she completed her doctorate degree in only 3 years. Pressley is a board-certified Optometrist currently practicing in Orlando, FL. She is a proud graduate of Norfolk State University and is passionate about increasing awareness about eye health and wellness in the community. Dr. Pressley earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from The Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. She is the first (and only)
Pressley owns her own online frame boutique, EyesOnMe, and serves on the executive board of the National Optometric Association as the Director of Communication. In her free time, she enjoys mentoring young students, guest-appearing on podcasts and spending time with her fiancé/family.
Donte Miller
Donte is co-founder and executive director at Village Micro Fund. Starting the Village as a student in college with co-founder Nathan Jones, Miller has always been passionate about the intersection of entrepreneurship, community, and currency, and uses that to inform the strategy and direction of the Village. Miller graduated as a presidential scholar from Morehouse College where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration: Accounting. Miller was also president of the Morehouse College chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants
Before his role as co-founder and executive director, Miller worked as a securities analyst at at Goldman Sachs, a small business sales intern at Google, and he interned at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Miller also worked at the Atlanta Micro Fund and the Truly Living Well Urban Farm. He’s been featured on NPR, Bitter Southerner, Black Enterprise Magazine, Cassius Magazine, and NewsOne.
Terrance Orr
Terrance is changing the venture capital world, one company at a time. He serves as an incoming Entrepreneur-in-Residence at SAP.iO, the venture capital arm of SAP that invests in small, entrepreneurial teams to build and launch products from the ground up.
In this role, Terrance will explore, evaluate, and provide recommendations on solutions to big problems in enterprise software, using SAP’s unique position and differentiated data sources to transform industries. Prior to SAP.iO, Terrance was a Venture Capital Fellow at Global X Ventures, a startup studio and venture fund focusing on eSports, gaming, and immersive technology. Additionally, he advises early-stage companies on business development and growth at Techstars Chicago, the worldwide seed accelerator that helps entrepreneurs succeed across 150+ countries. He is an Advisory Board Member at The Entrepreneurial Suite, a committee member for BLCK VC Investor Relations, and was recognized on the 31 under 31 list as a rising star in venture capital.
Prior to supporting founders and building startup ecosystems, Terrance spent nearly 7 years in the Northeast, working at Dell Technologies in Product Management, Business Development, and Strategic Consulting. During that time, he earned a reputation as an “intrapreneur” by helping executives start new business functions, conceptualize novel business models, and drive post-merger integration projects during the largest acquisition in technology history (Dell and EMC). Terrance is a graduate of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law School, the Feinstein Graduate School at Johnson & Wales University, and the illustrious Claflin University.
Corey Arvinger
Corey Arvinger is a media strategist and an entrepreneur who has a knack for social media marketing and branding. Arvinger is a graduate of Howard University and CEO of Support Black Colleges, which he founded with classmate at Howard University, Justin Phillips. Support Black Colleges is a clothing line whose sole mission is to uplift, inspire and encourage others to support and attend HBCU’s. SBC was founded in 2012 by Corey Arvinger and Justin Phillips who saw a need to spread awareness for the school that changed both their lives, Howard University. The brand took off quickly when celebrities such as Teyana Taylor, Missy Elliot, Chris Paul, Eva Marcille and many more were spotted rocking and cosigning the brand. Each year the SBC team employs over 250 college ambassadors and gives thousands of dollars in scholarships to HBCU through their non-profit Support Black Colleges Cares.
Arvinger has also worked for Tyler Perry and Facebook creator Sean Parker serving as a social media marketing and branding specialist. He has been featured on MTV, MTVu, USA Today, The Huffington Post, News & Record, The Root Live, 102.1 Jamz as well as many other media outlets. Also, Arvinger has wide-ranging experience in effectively communicating via social media and micro blogging. Corey has been responsible for strategizing numerous topics trending in DC, nationally, and worldwide. In addition, he excels in sponsorship acquisitions, marketing and management.
Rhea Walls
Rhea Walls is an award-winning gospel singer in the quartet, The Walls Group, a mother, and now she is a college graduate. Walls’ group members are her siblings, Darrel, Paco and Ahjah, where she is the eldest daughter in the group. There are 4 other siblings, not a part of the Walls’ singing group. The Texas native sings soprano and is a Dove Award winning, Stellar and multi-Grammy-Award nominee.
After finishing at Houston Community College, Rhea enrolled in Texas Southern University, from which she just graduated with a degree in Health Sciences. The 24-year-old is inspired by artists including favorites Kim Burrell, Kiki Sheard, The Soul Seekers, Mary Mary, and Dorinda Clark- Cole.
Brittany Claybrooks
After six years of public service, Councilwoman Brittany D. Claybrooks was elected at the November 5, 2019 General Election to serve as Councilwoman of the Second Ward. She recently received her Master’s in Urban Planning and Development from New York University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Healthcare Management from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. She spent six years working in various government and public service institutions including the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice; The Florida Department of Health; The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation where she served in the Office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Young Invincibles, a national nonprofit in Washington, DC that advocates on behalf of millennial Americans in the areas of higher education, health, economic development and young parents’ initiatives.
Councilwoman Brittany D. Claybrooks, a Detroit native is passionate about creating greater economic opportunities for residents of inner cities and developing communities via comprehensive policy and equitable allocation of public resources. She believes inclusive community development to be among the most effective ways to create positive change in underrepresented communities and plans to dedicate her career to ensuring that people have access to the American life they desire and deserve. She is a Second Ward Democratic Municipal County Committee Leader and considers serving and inspiring people to be her life’s work. She often proclaims, “Public service is not what I do, public service is who I am”.
Andres Martin
Andres “Dre” Martin, also known as “SEATS BY DRE” is an Afro-Latino (African-American/Puerto Rican) visionary, who is the Founder of A. Martin & Industries and “HBCU Night,” a multifaceted event geared towards creating awareness for HBCUs, networking opportunities and resources for prospective college students. Martin is also the Founder/Executive Director of HBCU Night, Inc. Inspired by speakers in a series of moderated panel discussions he coordinated throughout his work-experience at the NBA, Martin decided to start his own community-based entity geared towards speaking engagements, diversity & inclusion initiatives and youth empowerment strategies.
With his undergraduate experience at Grambling State University, to his Executive MBA studies at Howard University, Martin has joined the movement of raising awareness for illustrious HBCUs, by creating the multifaceted event, “HBCU Night.” He continues to live out his passion of providing networking opportunities for professionals in all industries, and more importantly, expanding globally to create opportunities for the youth to assimilate information. When Martin is not entertaining at the latest Live Nation/Ticketmaster concerts, you can catch him hosting Diversity & Inclusion events, conducting business at NBA Games, or promoting his “Let’s Talk Seats” mantra. Martin is a firm believer in his ideology, “Live with consistency & believe in your vision until your thoughts become your legacy.”
In addition to his ambition to push seats for events, the core values that define his character are reliability, authenticity, efficiency, and integrity. Martin’s core characteristics, his deep love for music, volunteering efforts, and ability to create life-lasting memories for others collectively have earned him his stage name, “Seats by Dre” (Inspired by renowned mogul, Dr. Dre and the renowned, “Beats by Dre” headphones/speakers) from mentor Drew Green. Dre has collaborated with industry leaders such as Live Nation Entertainment/Ticketmaster, BET Networks, the NBA, REVOLT TV, Roc Nation, TV ONE, The Breakfast Club, Shawn Carter Foundation, NIKE, GOOGLE, Microsoft, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, National Urban League and more! Martin is passionate about creating with other producers, brands, companies, small businesses and non-profit organizations. His goal is to have the world talking SEATS! Dre has been featured in Black Enterprise, BET, Blavity, New York Amsterdam News, HBCU 101 & more!
Archie Clay III
Archie Clay III is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wearbrims, a luxury fedora hat company that is changing the way people perceive luxury accessories and hats within the fashion industry. He started the company in 2017 with his Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity brother and longtime friend with the goal of spreading confidence and love through their designs and creativity. Prior to founding the company, Archie attended the illustrious Tuskegee University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Art in Sales and Marketing.
After graduating, Archie started his career in HR & Operations roles within the retail industry. This ultimately gave him the strong understanding of the fashion industry necessary to successfully run his business. Wearbrims has gained much success within the short span of 3 years, including being featured in British GQ, The Root, Huffington Post and being worn by various celebrities and influencers, such as Eva Marcille, Karen Civil, Lance Gross and Chris Paul. Still, Archie and his team won’t stop until they have completely disrupted and transformed the market.
Dr. Trevor Thomas
Dr. Trevor Thomas is a two-time graduate of Howard University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry and a Doctor of Dental Surgery. Thomas also goes by “Dr. Trev,” and says, “Dentistry is my path to living a servant’s life.” At 28-years-old, Dr. Trev purchased a dental office for his practice in California, Corona Hills Modern Dentistry and Orthodontics. Thomas is now a celebrity dentist with clients including rapper Offset and personalities Miracle Watts and Moniece Slaughter.
Thomas is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc., American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and Golden Key International Honour Society. Thomas is also the founder of a health professions fraternity, Delta Mu Chi Fraternity, Inc.
Asia Ware
Asia Milia Ware is a New York-based fashion and beauty writer who inspires young women to tackle their goals through sharing her lifestyle. Ware is a 2017 graduate of Hampton University where she received a Bachelor of Art in Strategic Communications and English. On campus, Ware was a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society.
Asia is currently an Editorial Assistant at Teen Vogue and has previously worked at InStyle Magazine as an editorial intern, Fashion Bomb Daily as a fashion writer and as the Fashion Bomb Kids Editor, ESSENCE Festival as event assistant, and more. Ware was awarded “Youth Blogger of the Year” by Brown Women in Media. Asia is a driven and hardworking media professional and she aspires to thrive in the digital media and fashion industry.
Shelby Tinsley
Shelby Tinsley, Founder & CEO of iShallBe Daily Affirmation App, has created a multi-dimensional platform to encourage people to affirm purposeful thoughts and ideas into existence. As a young leader in the tech industry, Shelby has a lifetime of experience of creating opportunities through connecting words and people. As a newborn, she was named after an affirmation that she “Shall Be” all things without reservation.
As one of youngest women of color to design and launch an application of this kind, she has remained unwavering in her unique approach to ensure that people’s thoughts become their reality. Prior to stepping in her purpose, Shelby worked to educate diverse populations in best practices of employee engagement and company structures for government agencies, healthcare providers and private industry.
Moreover, Shelby is a graduate of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, where she discovered her ability to creatively transform lives. She also holds a Master of Arts, in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, from the University of Detroit Mercy to help evaluate and assess productivity through various work environments. Tinsley is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Since the launch of iShallBe in 2017, iShallBe has reached over 3,000 users across the world. In countries such as USA, Nigeria, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Richard Lucas III
Richard Lucas III is the youngest professor in the history of his alma mater, Bowie State University. Lucas studied history and government and served as student government president, a Thurgood Marshall Scholar, Congressional Black Caucus Fellow. Lucas was named student of the year twice.
Upon graduation, he became the first Bowie State student to attend Yale University for graduate school. After completing his graduate education in religion on a full scholarship, he returned to Bowie State University to teach.
In addition to teaching religion and philosophy, Richard teaches and does chaplaincy at a correctional facility. He is an advocate for prison abolition and the transformative power of black theology. Lucas is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity Inc.
Kahlil Darden
Kahlil is a freshman at Clark Atlanta University majoring in Business Administration with a dual concentration in Marketing & Management and minoring in Political Science. Darden has already created an organization to reach out to young African American men in the city of Pittsburgh.
Kahlil worked alongside Tamia Coleman, where they created a branch for female activists. Young Black Motivated Kings and Queens (YBMKQ) is a community-based organization made up of some of the most dedicated young men and women of the city. In the face of constant discouragement and scrutiny, a group of young men and women have chosen to stand apart and show the community that young black kings and queens are active, motivated, and empowered to be the change. Briefly, before Kahlil began the organization his uncle was murdered at gunpoint in 2013 which gave him the courage and wisdom to do something great not to only make his uncle proud but change the world around him to ensure this did not continue to happen to families in this city and to create a safe space for youth to trust and come to if they did go through these tragic events.
Kahlil is also the Founder of the first Black Student Union at Penn Hills Senior High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Kahlil began the BSU during his Sophomore year. Outside of his own organization Kahlil has also participated in a number of local community and school projects such as; YngBlkPgh, Coalition Against Violence, Mentor at Propel Schools, and World Affairs Council. Kahlil is also the Co-Author to his own book “Younger Black Pittsburgh” highlighting many young people in the city of Pittsburgh doing amazing work!
Dr. Brennan DuBose
Dr. Brennan DuBose is the youngest person to ever become a member of an HBCU board. Dubose is a start-up advisor, journalist, and cultural commentator who is the first Black man to graduate with a PhD in the English and Education department at Columbia University since the department’s inception in 1887.
Dubose attended Hampton University and graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. He also holds two master’s degrees from Columbia University.
Dr. DuBose has been published in numerous outlets, most recently, HuffPost, NBC News, and CNN and he leads the only Black targeted venture funded fellowship in the United States. To date, the fellowship has invested in over 12 million in social entrepreneurs who are starting new and innovative organization’s dedicated to improving the life outcomes of Black communities in the United States.
Dubose also currently serves as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Columbia University Institute for Urban & Minority Education and he is a Research Affiliate at the Penn Center Minority Serving Institutions. He also leads a multi-million dollar portfolio, Black Male Achievement Fellowship, at Echoing Green.
Frank D. Dorsey, II
Frank D. Dorsey, II is a rising administrator who is challenges and refines the student experience in higher education. As the Associate Director of Student Engagement at Johnson C. Smith University, he is responsible for coordinating comprehensive engagement programs that create intentional opportunities for students to identify and enhance their leadership potential. He assists with efforts to create a more inclusive campus through policies and programs. Aside from overseeing the University student union, Dorsey provides leadership to JCSU student programs, including student government, student activities, intramural/club sports, Greek Life, and civic involvement. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and received his Master of Science in college student personnel from Arkansas Tech University.
Recognizing the need for LGBT resources and assistance on historically Black college and university campuses, Dorsey partook in both the Young Black Gay Men’s Leadership Initiative and the Human Rights Campaign’s HBCU Leadership Summit. He participated in the Charlotte, NC Community Building Initiative’s Leaders Under 40 Program. Beyond his responsibilities at JCSU, Frank Dorsey is a board member with Carolina CARE Partnership, Charlotte Black Pride, and Equality North Carolina, which is the oldest statewide organization in the country dedicated to securing rights and protections for the LGBTQ community.
Jessica L. Brown
Jessica Brown the Founder of College Gurl, President of The College Gurl Foundation, and Author of How to Pay for College When You’re Broke. Jessica is a graduate of Howard University and is a nationally recognized financial aid expert. She educates students and families on how to make the best-informed decisions around financing a college education. Named the Financial Aid Fairy Godmother, her mission is to ensure students have access to an affordable and quality education. Additionally, she mentors and exposes Washington Metropolitan area high school students to college through her non-profit, The College Gurl Foundation.
Brown speaks all over the U.S. at a host of schools, universities, organizations, and news networks. Additionally, Diversity Inc., Strayer University, and The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation have sponsored her efforts. She has recently been featured on BET News, FOX Business Network, and several other news outlets. Brown is also a graduate of Strayer University and is currently seeking her PhD in Higher Education Administration.
Jessica’s philanthropic efforts have awarded her the 2019 Outstanding Community Service Award of Excellence from Odyssey International, 2018 Dreamer Award from Dream4It Foundation, and 2018 Power of She Award from Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc.
Jeffron Smalls
Jeffron Smalls is a Georgetown, South Carolina native and graduate of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering, becoming the first in his immediate family to obtain a 4-year college degree. While attending North Carolina A&T, Jeffron was actively involved in student life and leadership. He served as Mister North Carolina A&T where he had the opportunity to meet with President Barack Obama and lead a community forum with Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. Jeffron also led in engagements with Hill Harper, Deray McKesson, and Draymond John. Jeffron is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Smalls started his career with Microsoft as a Channel Operations Manager and is currently a Strategic Sourcing Manager in August. He currently serves on the Board of non-profit HBCU Travelers as the Vice President of Marketing. Smalls is also a co-founder of Lifting Our Youth, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarship opportunities to underprivileged students in his hometown.
Smalls aspires to one day start his own business to continue his passion of motivating and encouraging underprivileged students to fulfill their own dreams. Outside of work, Jeffron enjoys traveling, reading, sports and trying new foods. His favorite quote is from his high school football coach: “Tough Times Never Last, Tough People Do.”
Keith Pough
Keith Pough is an Orangeburg, SC native and former NFL defensive linebacker. While a senior in college, media reports indicated “He’s the kind of prospect almost any coach in the NFL would love to have.” Pough graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education and Fitness.
Pough played for the Cleveland Browns wearing jersey #96. The former professional athlete has a love for biomechanics and kinetics. Following three years in the NFL, he became a performance coach and professional athletic football trainer. Pough is a Level 1 certified USAW Sports Performance Coach, a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Level 1 certified Fascial Stretch Therapist and Functional Movement Screening. Pough is also certified in Applied Functional Science.
When he is not on the field of the court, Keith is a business owner of vegan line, Uncle Jimmy Products, The brand of choice for men’s hair care grooming for beard growth, beard care, loc maintenance and curly hairstyles.
Justin Shaifer
A rising star in STEM education and advocacy, Justin Shaifer is a LinkedIn Top Voice in Technology and popular science communicator with a talent for understanding and inspiring Gen Z. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Fascinate, Inc., a nonprofit that partners with organizations such as Microsoft, Google and the MIT Media Lab to excite underrepresented students about STEM careers. Shaifer is also a science education PhD student at Teachers College of Columbia University and host of WGBH’s live science show, Escape Lab featured on Twitch. Known for the Magic Cool Bus Project and his TEDx talk, “How to Speak Generation Z.” Justin continues to reach millions with his content, keynotes and workshops.
His goal “to be for STEM what ESPN is for sports” and to, inspire young people to “embrace their inner nerd despite their surroundings,” springs from his own life experience. Growing up in a single parent home on the South Side of Chicago, he had little awareness of the potential of a STEM career. Self-taught and fascinated by science, Justin earned scholarships from NASA and NOAA that covered 100% of his tuition and room and board at Hampton University where he graduated with a degree in marine and environmental science, earning the department’s highest GPA while also serving as student body president.
He recently launched the Magic Cool Bus a mobile museum and STEM program that “travels to schools in black and brown neighborhoods offering guided instructional play with 3D printers, drones and other gadgets.” His other notable work includes ‘Hood Science’, an animated series designed to demystify STEM concepts for urban students and Fascinate, a YouTube channel featuring animations and explanations of STEM concepts. Justin’s work has been featured in Forbes, Variety, Essence and other media.
D’Ante Smith
You may have seen D’Ante Smith on television, but you’ve definitely seen his work. Smith grew up in Prince George’s County before heading to Lincoln University (PA) where he graduated with Cum Laude honors double majoring in Broadcast and Print Journalism in 2012 while playing football for four years.
Smith is a former Associate Producer of Social Media at ESPN and a Social Producer/Host at the XFL. At the Xtreme Football League (XFL) , D’Ante created, produced and edited a weekly original content show and was the host of the show. This particular episode is still the most-viewed piece of content in the history of the XFL.
While at ESPN, he won Employee of the Month for creating a special Black History Month Top 10 and a special montage of NFL players from HBCUS including Michael Strahan, Jerry Rice, Shannon Sharpe and Walter Payton explaining why they went to their HBCU.
He also created a month-long Black History segment for ESPN’s Snapchat show that boasts over 1 million daily viewers. Smith’s goal was to display that Black History is more than just the Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali in the sports world, and that history is still being made today. He chose to highlight fellow Black College graduates, Tarik Cohen of North Carolina A&T State University and Grambling State University’s Shakyla Hill, who is the only basketball player ever, male or female, to have multiple quadruple doubles.
The former college athlete shattered all viewing and sharing records for ESPN’s Snapchat platform for creating a “Disney March Madness Bracket“. In just two weeks, this idea generated over 700k shares on snapchat and increased viewership by 30%. His voting and sharing methods are now ESPN’s standard operating procedures. Smith created a weekly HBCU Top 10 segment for ESPN’s Undefeated and he created an interactive-stat package for the 2017 NFL Draft. Smith currently serves as Associate Manager for National Geographic Social and Digital Media.
Wen-kuni Ceant
Wen-kuni Ceant is the CEO and Co-Founder of Politicking–a sociopolitical platform that provides data on local, state and federal candidates as well as information about the amendments and referendums people will vote for on their personalized ballot. Wen-kuni graduated from Howard University in 2013, the same year she pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and was nominated to Phi Beta Kappa–America’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Ceant’s co-founder is Jordan Wilson, fellow soror of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and classmate at Howard University.
After graduating from Howard University, Wen-kuni went on to pursue her MPH in Health Management and Policy at Drexel University. She was later selected as a Fulbright Fellow in Senegal where she studied health policy and infrastructure. Since returning to the states in 2018, Wen-kuni has been focused on Politicking full time and is eager to see how this mobile application will affect the 2020 election cycle. Since Politicking was founded, the mobile app has been featured in Forbes, Bustle, and The Grio.
Dr. Darryl Hylton, Jr.
Dr. Darryl Hylton, Jr. is a higher education professional and a student-centered advocate with emphasis on supporting Black male student success. Hylton is a two-time HBCU graduate from Norfolk State University and North Carolina A&T State University where he earned his bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Elementary Education/Mathematics and Adult & Higher Education, respectively. Darryl chose to pursue a career in the field of education in the 4th grade and chose to attend NSU in the 8th grade.
During his matriculation at Norfolk State University, Darryl was involved in a myriad of clubs, organizations, and activities and he was selected as a Thurgood Marshall College Fund Teacher Quality and Retention Program (TQRP) scholar. Hylton also served at the 10th Mr. Norfolk State and was one of the creators of the ‘Spartan Shuffle’ campus line dance. Darryl also served as Mr. Black Greensboro. After completing his undergraduate degree, Darryl returned to his home state to teach (as the only African-American male teacher in the district 5th grade math and science.)
Darryl volunteers with Peer Forward, Inc. as a College Coach. Eventually, he decided to make an impact on a larger scale which led him to become Co-Founder & CEO of his non-profit organization—Operation G.R.A.D, Incorporated. Operation G.R.A.D’s mission is to help college and universities increase the persistence and graduation rates of African-American males through mentoring. Rooted in the core values of Commitment, Community, Diversity, Education, and Integrity, Darryl and his co-founder’s (Jamie Enge) vision is to be the leading mentoring organization for Black males pursuing a college degree. He lives by the quote: “When my time on earth is finished, I want my legacy to be one that provided others the space to create their own.”—Dr. Darryl Hylton, Jr.
Monique A. Mitchell
Monique A. Mitchell is a certified full-time dreamer and doer, juggling many hats as an entrepreneur, publicist, podcaster and media influencer. Mitchel is a graduate of Florida A&M University. She’s a skilled communications guru with over nine years of experience in the entertainment and network television industries. Her inherent knack for public relations landed her a start with the historic and prestigious NBC East Coast Page program in New York City where she worked for various shows and networks including: “Saturday Night Live,” ‘TODAY,” “30 Rock Live,” Oxygen and NBC News, to name a few. Today, she continues to build on her impressive professional career as a publicist for one of the world’s leading entertainment brands helping build premium content, launching animated series, spreading the word about immersive digital spaces, implementing social media strategy, managing talent, creating memorable viewer experiences and more!
She prides herself on being a millennial woman of color who can do both – navigate the waters of corporate America and use her passions to create her own opportunities. Her affinity to help others grow their small businesses and educate them on the power of public relations has propelled her into the world of entrepreneurship. In 2019, ESSENCE Magazine featured the launch of her Atlanta-based boutique PR agency, Mo Mitch Media where she works one-on-one with entrepreneurs, influencers and creatives alike to build brands and gain maximum exposure. Her press placements include: Forbes, Black Enterprise, AfroTech, xoNecole, The Everygirl, The Shade Room, The Atlanta Voice, SHEEN Magazine, BAUCE Magazine, Quintessential Gentleman and the list goes on.
Monique is known for her gift of gab, magnetic personality and unapologetic authenticity. Every Monday, you can catch an episode of her podcast, “One Mo Minute,” for #MoMitchMondays where she shares hilarious and heartfelt gems of wisdom from her personal experiences and thoughts. This one-of-a-kind podcast is For Girls Who Do Too D*mn Much!
Jakeim Jackson-Bell
Jakeim Jackson-Bell is a human resources(HR) professional who has made a great impact in HR being a People & Culture Champion, working in the following industries including Sports & Entertainment (Atlanta Hawks), Aviation (Envoy Air/American Airlines), Technology (Samsung Electronics), Non-Profit (YMCA), Education (The Briarwood School), and now Healthcare (Parkland Hospital). The Dallas, TX native received an MBA with a concentration in Healthcare Administration from Texas Southern University. Jakeim recently left Samsung Electronics as a Talent & Learning Specialist helping lead their Global HR Transformation. Jakeim is now an HR Generalist at Parkland Hospital, one of the premiere hospitals in the country located in one of their largest cities, Dallas, TX.
In addition to Jakeim’s HR career, he is the Founder & President of 4Sure Resumes & Consulting, helping clients land job interviews, secure new job opportunities, receive pay increases, be promoted, embark new careers, and be admitted in various graduate programs. Jakeim works closely with a lot of high school and college students stressing the importance of branding themselves and being prepared for the next level to be successful. In Jakeim’s spare time, he enjoys giving back to the community, mentoring, traveling, spending time with family & friends, and going to concerts.
Jakeim has been a Mentor at “Mentoring Brother 2 Brother” in his community for over 3 years; inspiring and empowering at-risk African American male youth that are being raised in single female headed households. Jakeim has utilized his platform to help people across the country take their career development serious and promoting people to attend and support HBCU’s.
Mikkyo McDaniel
“Mikkyo McDaniel is an advocate, organizer, and exceptional leader in her community. McDaniel is a native of Baltimore, MD and following the death of Freddie Gray, she led efforts to ensure her community understood Baltimore’s Consent Decree working as a fellow for Baltimore Votes and Black Girls Vote. McDaniel has participated and organized voter registration drives and assisted with the Party at the Mailbox initiative that is being administered by Baltimore Votes and Black Girls Vote in Baltimore’s 2020 election cycle.
Mikkyo was awarded the opportunity to represent the City of Baltimore as a legislative aide during the Maryland General Session 2020 where she personally supported two bills through written testimony; SB 1043 Historically Black Colleges and Universities – Funding and HB 0245 Election Law – Institutions of Higher Education – Voter Registration and Voting by Students (Student Voter Empowerment Act of 2020. She is an Emerge Maryland Alumna which is an organization that prepares women who are interested in running for a political office the tools to succeed in their campaign.
Mikkyo not only has a love for politics and civic engagement but for the nonprofit sector. She has sat on multiple boards throughout Baltimore City, for instance, I Am Mentality, Expanding Boundaries, and Hug Don’t Shoot. However, she is currently the youngest board member that sits on the Our Dream Foundation board that focuses on the development of inner-city high school-aged teens looking to create or expand on their business ideas. McDaniel is a Baltimore native and proud alumna of Morgan State University.”
Here’s the Full List – 2020 HBCU Top 30 Under 30
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