SVG, YoSy Media Team Up To Launch HBCU Bridge Initiative

SVG, YoSy Media Team Up To Launch HBCU Bridge Initiative Students at 100+ HBCUs will be connected to internships and careers in sports-TV production and broadcast By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director

Monday, September 26, 2022 - 10:00 am

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Sports Video Group (SVG) has partnered with YoSy Media (YOSY) to engage qualified students at the nation's top Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in careers in sports broadcasting, production, and other industry opportunities. The new initiative, titled HBCU Bridge, will help connect broadcasters, leagues, teams, and production companies with students who want to enter the industry via paid internships, apprenticeships, or full-time employment.

There is a tremendous need for new talent in the sports- production industry, notes Andrea Berry, chairwoman, SVG SPIRIT Diversity and Inclusion. This relationship will help open up new and exciting career opportunities and also ensure that sports production and engineering has a solid foundation of talent for the future.

A key part of the effort is making it easier for sports broadcasters, leagues, production-services providers, and manufacturers to find qualified undergraduates and recent graduates for everything from internships to part-time and even full-time employment. In addition, HBCU Bridge will make students aware of how a career in sports production and technology can be rewarding.

HBCU Bridge's website, www.hbcubridge.com, launched today and includes details and application forms so that SVG members can connect with HBCU students for internships and other career-development opportunities. Opportunities will include behind-the-scenes access to sports-event productions, life-skills development, education, on-location training, and potential jobs. YoSy Media will work directly with HBCUs to reach interested students and recommend candidates.

Many students are unaware of the wide variety of career opportunities in the TV and sports industry, says Ken Kerschbaumer, co-executive director, SVG. With HBCU Bridge, students will not only learn about those careers but also have real-world exposure and experiences that can lead to a fulfilling professional career. SVG member companies are excited to work with YOSY Media as we look to improve the diversity of the sports-production industry.

YoSy Media is a multimedia news, information, and Black-culture platform created by Yolanda Starks-White, former director of talent, BET, and executive producer, The Tom Joyner Morning Show; and nationally syndicated media personality Sybil Wilkes, formerly The Voice of Reason, The Tom Joyner Morning Show. The partnership between SVG and YoSy Media draws on the legacy of radio icon Tom Joyner and his commitment to support students and sustain HBCUs across the country. Before retiring in 2019, he provided scholarships to more than 32,000 students and raised more than $69 million for HBCUs across the country.

YoSy Media is proud to play a role in the career advancement of deserving and talented students striving to reach their dreams, says Starks-White. For over 20 years, Sybil has demonstrated her tireless commitment to HBCUs and the future of our youth through her work with the Tom Joyner Foundation and her personal contributions. Her dedication and service have garnered the respect of HBCU presidents and established many long-lasting relationships. HBCU Bridge is a natural progression of our mission to create professional and life-changing opportunities for students and to open their minds, and the doors, to previously unknown careers and professions often considered unattainable.

Real-world opportunities will be complemented with virtual webinars that feature production talent discussing career opportunities, how to get started, and tips on career development. Broadcast companies interested in more information or in participating in the HBCU Bridge initiative can contact SVG's Ken Kerschbaumer via email at kenkersch@sportsvideo.org.

Led by Wilkes, YoSy Media was developed specifically to inform and empower the African American community. In 2019, after The Tom Joyner Morning Show ended its legendary run, Wilkes and Starks-White created the media company to continue super-serving the African American community. Its primary focus is addressing overall health and wellness for Black people through political, health, financial, and social-justice advocacy. YoSy curates and disseminates news and information for people of color through multiple platforms. For more information, visit www.yosymedia.com.

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2022/09/26/svg-yosy-media-partner-to-launc...
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