Pensole Just Launched a Program to Help HBCU Students an Students of Color Get Their Feet in The Door of The Footwear and Apparel Industry

PENSOLE, a professional development academy that teaches students the entire footwear design process using the most sought-after faculty in footwear industry, has announced that they are launching an eight month program online and at North Carolina State University with the goal of introducing HBCU students and students of color around the country to product creation careers in the athletic and outdoor apparel industries.

Since the first PENSOLE class in 2010, more than 475 Academy graduates have been placed professionally, full-time or as interns, for companies worldwide, including Nike, Reebok, The North Face, Columbia Sportswear, Timberland, Converse, New Balance, adidas and JORDAN.

The new program, L.E.A.D. by Design, will partner with HBCUs to introduce students of color to product-creation careers and teach them the entire footwear design process: inspiration, concept-development, design process, problem solving, materials, business, networking, marketing, and branding allowing students to get their foot in the door in the footwear and apparel industry and provide the industry with a more diverse talent base.

 “This new program provides the footwear and functional apparel industry with a new, non-traditional source for diverse talent,” PENSOLE founder D’Wayne Edwards stated.

“It also provides students of color and other minority students visibility to careers they might not have known about before because those options were not made available through their schools. Our goal is to break down those barriers of disconnection and connect the students to the industry, and the industry to a more diverse talent pipeline.” 

An eight month program, L.E.A.D. by Design is a different, longer format than most PENSOLE master classes. Anna Smith, Director of Education for PENSOLE, created this format with the goal of offering interested students the ability to gain knowledge and skills specific to the product creation industry, without interfering with enrollment at their primary educational institution.

The program comprises three seminars that will take place from March – December 2020. 

SEMINAR A | DESIGN DEVELOPMENT Up to 60 applicants will be selected to participate. With guidance from PENSOLE staff, these students will fine-tune their designs and explore design thinking. Through online critiques and demos that emphasize the foundations of design, creative thinking, and storytelling, the student designer will build professional and personal growth. This program is designed to prep students for the PENSOLE master class without interfering with curriculum at their primary colleges. Thirty of these students will advance to Seminar B, an in-person master class, hosted by the Industrial Design Department, College of Design at NC State University. 

SEMINAR B | MASTER CLASS This intensive will teach what it is like to work on a professional product-creation team. Students will focus on one of the following four tracks: color and material design, footwear design, functional apparel and/or accessory design, and product marketing. Students will work on individual and team projects over the course of the three weeks, culminating in a final presentation in front of recruiters and leaders from top brands in the athletic and outdoor industries. 

SEMINAR C | SURVEY OF DESIGN PRACTICES Looking to product designers of color throughout history as precedents for its coursework, students will further their exploration in design foundations. Through creative inquiry and application, they will design and develop business cards, resumés, and portfolios for themselves, bolstering personal and professional growth that will prepare them for internship opportunities or entry-level jobs in the industry. 

Made possible in part from a grant from The William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust, L.E.A.D. by Design’s goal is to create a “sister program” between HBCUs and PENSOLE, with hands on instruction, mentorship, and networking, introducing careers in the $75 billion footwear industry. 

For more information about the program and how to apply CLICK HERE.

This is a sponsored article in collaboration with Pensole.

Share this on Facebook and Twitter if you think more students of color need to know about this opportunity.