CULVER CITY, CA and WASHINGTON - Amazon Studios and Howard University announced today that they will continue the Howard Entertainment program, an initiative designed to diversify the entertainment industry by creating a pipeline for Black and other underrepresented students, now in its third year. The Howard Entertainment program was announced in 2019 to help create opportunities for historically excluded students to train and study alongside entertainment executives. Applications open on October 1, 2021, and the program will begin on January 10, 2022.  

Howard Entertainment is an immersive, two-semester program that offers Howard University students the opportunity to take academic courses related to the business of entertainment during the Spring semester and participate in an internship in the entertainment industry during the Summer semester. The coursework is applied toward the students’ graduation requirements, and the internship provides hands-on experience and an opportunity to make networking connections. Both semesters include immersive experiences to understand the real work of entertainment industry executives. Student disciplines include film and TV, public relations (PR), business (marketing), law, and fine arts along with the new additions of theater arts administration, theater tech and music business. 

In 2021, Howard Entertainment launched the Howard faculty externship program with the goal to provide hands-on experience that the participating professors can then take back to their classrooms. Faculty were placed with Amazon Studios teams, including casting, development, PR and strategy to further broaden and expand their expertise in their respective disciplines. 

“Over the past two years, we have made great strides with our initiatives to create new diverse pipeline programs in the entertainment industry,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “As we enter our third year, we are more committed than ever to helping new voices join the conversation and continuing to mentor our Howard Entertainment students. We know these programs will benefit our industry as a whole and create future leaders.”

Latasha Gillespie, Amazon Studios global head of diversity, equity and inclusion at Amazon Studios said,  “As an industry, we have a responsibility to create opportunities and foster new voices across all disciplines. Together with Howard University, we are able to put action behind our words and help the next generation of aspiring industry leaders forge a pathway to the future. It’s both rewarding and exciting to empower the next generation of leaders as they begin their careers in entertainment.”

“We are very grateful to Amazon Studios for their continued partnership in the Howard Entertainment program,” said Howard University Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Anthony K. Wutoh, Ph.D. “It has been a pleasure to watch Howard students engage with this program, build their network, and gain exposure to opportunities in the entertainment business.”

Last year, the program featured guest lecturers, including showrunner Anthony Sparks, actress and writer Ashleigh Hairston, actress Michael Hyatt, producer Logan Coles, actress Wendy Raquel Robinson, writer Christina Hamm, and writer James Tyler. Additional highlights from the second cohort included externship placements with Amazon partners, such as Viola Davis’ JuVee, Tracy Oliver’s Tracy Yvonne Productions (TYP), Rachel Brosnahan’s Scrap Paper Pictures, and Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions.

Responses from the 2021 cohort were overwhelmingly positive, with students praising the valuable experience they gained across all fields of entertainment. “Howard Entertainment has laid the foundation for my career in entertainment and has allowed me to positively envision myself and my ideas within an industry I previously thought had no space for me,” said 2021 Howard Entertainment program fellow Kai Hartman. 

Past participants of the Howard Entertainment cohorts have gone on to secure jobs at such companies as Gravillis, UTA, and Warner Bros. 

To qualify, students must be enrolled as an upperclassman or graduate student at Howard University. Prospective participants must complete an application and interview to be considered for the program. Students will be taught by Howard faculty, who will be supported by Amazon Studios employees and other industry professionals invited by Amazon. 

Students who wish to apply for admission to Howard Entertainment can contact HowardEntertainment@howard.edu. For more information on the program, please visit https://www2.howard.edu/entertainment-fellowship 

Photo 1: Howard Entertainment Cohort 2 pose with Amazon Studios executive LaTasha Gillespie and American actress and producer, Viola Davis.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

About Amazon Studios

Amazon Studios is the home for talent, creating and producing original films and television series for a global audience. Original series premiere on Amazon Prime Video, which is available in over 240 countries and territories, including the Emmy Award-winning comedies Fleabag, created by and starring Emmy Award-winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel from Emmy Award-winners Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, as well as the action thriller drama Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryanstarring John Krasinski, the irreverent superhero series The Boys, Greg Daniels’ comedy Upload, and The Underground Railroad, from Academy Award-winner Barry Jenkins. Amazon Originals also include culturally relevant and buzzed about content such as Rihanna’s annual Savage X Fenty music and fashion event. Amazon Studios also produces original content for IMDb TV, Amazon’s premium free streaming service. Upcoming IMDb TV series from Amazon Studios include the Bosch spin-off series starring Titus Welliver and the Untitled Judge Judy Sheindlin Project.

In film, Amazon Studios produces and acquires original movies for theatrical release and exclusively for Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Studios became the first streaming service to win Oscars for Manchester by the Sea and The Salesman. In 2021, Amazon Studios received a record-breaking 12 Academy Award nominations, winning two for Sound of Metal for Best Editing and Best Sound. Recent Amazon original movies include the action-packed thriller Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse starring Michael B. Jordan, the cultural smash hit Coming 2 America starring Eddie Murphy, the Golden Globe-winning comedy Borat Subsequent Moviefilm with Sacha Baron Cohen, the Oscar-winning Sound of Metal starring Riz Ahmed, the family comedy My Spy starring Dave Bautista, Garrett Bradley’s Time,Sylvie’s Love starring Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, Regina King’s directorial debut One Night in Miami…, and I’m Your Woman starring and produced by Rachel Brosnahan. This summer, upcoming tentpoles include the action-packed sci-fi escape The Tomorrow War starring Chris Pratt.