HBCU 2023 MLB All-Star Events Highlight Diversity And Inclusion

Information, mentorship, and commitment transcend sport.

Seattle, WA – The inaugural HBCU Swingman Classic presented by T-Mobile and powered by the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation went far beyond baseball. Opportunity, exposure and achievement were the goals – for the participating student athletes from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), students working their way toward career success in communications, and HBCU recruiting efforts.

Events at T-Mobile Park and throughout the local Seattle area demonstrated Major League Baseball’s commitment to making a difference in the local community, with projects ranging from beach cleanup to restoration of an inner-city playfield.

Among the major initiatives was the Chevrolet Discover the Unexpected (DTU). Now in its seventh year, the program provides mentorship, job opportunities and stipends to marketing and journalism students from multiple HBCUs across the country. Each student receives a $10,000 scholarship, $8,000 stipend, hands-on professional experience. They also road trip to their assignments in a 2024 Chevy Trax.

In partnership with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a member organization of 200 Black-owned newspapers, the 10 DTU fellows/students were selected for the 10-week program, and invited to attend the 2023 All-Star festivities where they documented their experiences.

Brielle Smith, a 2023 graduate of Howard University is on her way to the University of Southern California to pursue a Master’s degree in public relations and advertising. The bond with other DTU fellows has been an unexpected benefit of the program.

“We each have different interests in the field of communications,” she said, “but ultimately, our goal is to highlight the black community and be uplifted through our own talent of marketing and communications.”

A key component of the program’s success is mentorship. Accompanying the 2023 All-Star group was guest mentor Tiffany Greene, whose background includes ESPN commentator, and play-by-play announcer for collegiate sports and the WNBA. On the field, she was coaching the fellows on interview techniques, and assuring them that they would overcome their nerves about interviewing celebrities.

“ I get to share my expertise and experience with these students,” she said. “It’s all about networking and building up relationships.”

Carol Hood, digital creative director of Carolyn H. Williams Advertising, works closely with the guest mentors and students.

She explained, “The goal here is that we are creating opportunity in fields where things were not necessarily an equal playing field. So Chevrolet and the NNPA got together and wanted to solve the issue with journalism.”

“So we started recruiting people to come in to work with these Black students to get a leg up in journalism and get one-on-one mentorship, so they could come into that field easier,” she added.

The program has expanded to include a division specifically with Chevrolet that now employs marketing interns, while journalism students continue to work with NNPA newspapers.

As city newspapers cease printing or go out of business completely, Black-owned newspapers remain relevant, according to Hood.

“They’re very strong in their community. That’s not to say they don’t need money, what newspaper doesn’t. But you know, they’re going strong. People find them to be a reliable resource at a time where maybe things got a little bit like ‘what’s real and what’s not real.’ And it’s very community oriented.”

General Motors Diversity Marketing Manager Charles F. Chapman was on hand in Seattle as well, and explained Chevy’s interest in creating and supporting the DTU. It’s a business-philanthropy-community service endeavor.

“It’s a phenomenal experience for the students, and for us as well. I think our overall goal is to gain cultural capital within diverse audiences and ultimately, you know, promote the Chevrolet brand, but still be authentic.”

While the DTU students conducted interviews and enjoyed special time with Hall of Famer Ken Grffey, Jr., the inaugural HBCU Fair was taking place on the T-Mobile main concourse. It featured recruiters and alumni groups from HBCUs, plus representatives from some of the major HBCU sororities and fraternities, including the Divine Nine, the founding fraternities and sororities of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).

Among the sororities represented was Alpha Kappa Alpha, whose sisters include Vice President Kamala Harris, Coretta Scott King and Toni Morrison.

Kimberly Green from Delta Sigma Theta was thrilled to have the post-Covid opportunity to meet and greet alums and potential sisters in person again. She shared her opinion about the impact of Black sororities.

“That’s the importance of any sorority,” she said. “It’s a lifetime commitment once you’re in the sorority, and you align with the values that your organization has put up and the initiatives that we do. It’s very important that we’re seen in the community, that is what we do. We are here to serve our community.”

The concourse was packed with fraternity and sorority alums and HBCU recruiters, as well as future brothers, sisters and students. It was loud, it was joyous and it was the first time these groups were given this type of All-Star exposure.

One of the reps from Kappa Alpha Psi, a gentleman named Joe, stressed how the fraternity mission values mentorship of young Black men.

“I think one thing is for us to set an example, and a show a way and a path for them to follow. And we can talk about the experience that we had, how we overcome and where we are, and hopefully help them miss some pitfalls that we might have made, and really mentor them everywhere,” he said.

“I think a lot of them are faced with so many economic challenges. Some of them come from single family homes, some of them don’t have a role model. Some of them just don’t have the confidence that they need to pursue it (college). And we can help establish and build that confidence.”

The overwhelming atmosphere at T-Mobile on this HBCU Day was one of legacy and community, both on and off the field. From players to interns to panhellenic reps, all were given respect and the opportunity to see and be seen.