The NFL has announced that it will be hosting its sixth annual NFL Careers in Football Forum to be held virtually for HBCU students on December 8th. This year’s forum will be attended by over 170 students from 43 different historically black institutions.
Students will get the opportunity to interact with front office executives and team team executives. Panelists for the “Business Operations Inside the League Office” discussion include Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of NFL Media Hans Schroeder, Senior Vice President and General Manager of NFL Media Dave Jurenka, NFL Vice President of New Business Development Nana-Yaw Asamoah and NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson
NFL Careers in Football attendees for HBCU students
Team executives scheduled to appear include Detroit Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager Brad Holmes, Arizona Cardinals Chief People Officer Shaun Mayo, Kansas City Chiefs Executive Vice President of Communications Ted Crews and NFL Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Jonathan Beane.
“The Careers in Football Forum has served as a tremendous event for assisting diverse candidates gain entry into the NFL, and the sports industry as a whole, and we are truly thankful to be in a position to work with HBCU students across the country. The Forum is one of several key programs that helps us build long-standing relationships with these historical institutions and introduces us to a diverse set of future leaders that will continue to successfully move our league forward.”
Natara Holloway, NFL Vice President of Football Strategy and Business Development
“The HBCU Careers in Football Forum provides an unmatched level of access to professional development advice and connection to industry professionals across multiple facets of the world of sports. Being able to continue my work with the Football Operations team at the Careers in Football Forum allowed me to gain hands-on experience running larger events, but also see first-hand how important events like these are to HBCU students who may not traditionally have this level of access to the NFL and representatives of other large sports entities.
As a member of the Junior Rotational Program and an HBCU Alum (Morehouse College), I can attest to the fact that the networking opportunities, and encouragement from professionals at the Forum helped propel my career forward and a mandatory experience for HBCU students looking to make their mark in the sports world in the future.”
Micah Holmes, NFL Junior Rotational Program participant
Since the league started hosting this forum in 2016, 14 students that previously attended have received internships or full-time positions with the NFL, clubs, colleges and universities, and other sports entities.
This is one of many ways the league has been an advocate for historically black colleges. Since 2017, the league has been the host of the HBCU Battle of the Brains that has seen participation from 34 different HBCUs since its inception.
The league’s contributions can also be seen on the field as they are set to partner with the Black College Football Hall of Fame to present the HBCU Legacy Bowl an exhibition game featuring some of the top draft eligible players from HBCUs to be aired on the NFL Network on Saturday, February 19, 2022.