Film director Spike Lee in conjunction with Gersh, the Hollywood-based talent agency, has established the Spike Lee Fellows program. The program will be for graduates of Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University, all members of the Atlanta University Center Consortium. Lee is a 1979 graduate of Morehouse College.
Under the program, five graduates of these HBCUs will be selected and provided with student debt relief, industry mentorship, post-graduate internships, and full-time employment in the entertainment industry.
In a statement accompanying the announcement of the program, Spike Lee said “I know firsthand the education one receives at a historically Black college and university. I am who I am because of my grandmother and my mother who both graduated from Spelman College. I am who I am because of my grandfather and my father who both graduated from Morehouse. As my elders often told me, ‘Deeds not words’.”
“As industry leaders, we’ve always taken seriously the responsibility to build a more diverse, dynamic ecosystem in which people of all ethnicities, backgrounds, and experiences can thrive,” added Leslie Siebert, senior managing partner at Gersh. “We are honored that Spike has chosen us to be his partner.”
This is amazing news. I went to Morehouse with Spike and I am so happy that he is giving Black Students at HBCU’s a chance to learn about the Movie Business and gains experience directly from him. This is a win-win for HBCU’s, Black students, Hollywood, and Spike’s legacy as a Philanthropist.