- 10-week internship offers HBCU students hands-on experience in the automobile industry
- The Driving Force initiative expands opportunities for underrepresented talent in automotive media
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. Oct. 14, 2024 – Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (SJGC), in collaboration with The Driving Force (TDF), the Black Automotive Media Group (BAMG), and Hyundai Motor America, proudly announce the renewal of their 10-week fall semester internship for a second year. This groundbreaking program, designed to immerse Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) students in automotive media, continues to set new standards for career development in the automotive industry.
“BAMG’s collaboration with FAMU creates new career pathways for FAMU students,” said Kimatni D. Rawlins, BAMG founder and publisher of Automotive Rhythms. “Through the internship, we are helping prepare HBCU students and supporting automobile manufacturers for the rapidly changing demographic profiles in the United States.”
Now entering its second year, the program offers FAMU journalism students an in-depth exposure to automotive journalism and multimedia production.
“We are proud to continue this partnership and internship program with FAMU and BAMG, reaffirming Hyundai’s dedication to fostering diversity within the industry,” said Randy Parker, CEO, Hyundai Motor America. “Through this program, we provide students with real-world opportunities that can shape their futures, while also bringing new perspectives and creativity into the automotive media space.”
The Driving Force internship goes beyond the classroom, offering hands-on learning experiences such as vehicle evaluations, video content creation, and advertising projects for traditional and social media platforms. Students will also gain behind-the-scenes insights into career opportunities within Hyundai’s corporate structure, providing a broader understanding of the automotive industry’s complex ecosystem.
For more than 130 years, FAMU has served the citizens of the State of Florida and the nation through its provision of preeminent educational programs and has a storied history of producing outstanding journalists, public relations professionals, and visionary graphic artists.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Hyundai and the Black Automotive Media Group for a second year in a row,” said Mira Lowe, dean of the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication at FAMU. “This unique internship opens up a new career lane for our students, who get to hone their storytelling skills and learn from professionals in the automotive sector.”
This fall’s TDF instructors are veteran automotive journalists Kimatni D. Rawlins and Marcus Amick and Internship Manager Caroline Carter.
As part of this year’s other initiatives, Hyundai hosted the Seventh Annual Hyundai Career Experience Program, offering first and second-year college students the opportunity to explore automotive careers firsthand at Hyundai’s headquarters. Company-wide employees led the workshops at the career experience day in the areas of product planning and development, sales and marketing, public relations and communications, and finance to help propel a new generation in the automotive field.
About Florida A&M University School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (SJGC)
The Florida A&M University School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (SJGC) is renowned for its commitment to excellence in journalism education. With its state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated faculty, SJGC offers a wide range of programs for aspiring journalists, public relations professionals, and graphic designers. With a focus on academic achievement and experiential learning, SJGC is preparing its students to be ethical, impactful, and confident storytellers and leaders.
About the Black Automotive Media Group
The BAMG is a distinguished group of African-American publishers, writers, editors, media talent and entrepreneurs representing over 100 years of combined experience in the automotive sphere within television, radio, print, experiential marketing, and social media content creation. BAMG members own various automotive media platforms targeting diverse audiences. BAMG’s core objective is to level the playing field and help foster opportunities for Black professionals who work in and around the automotive industry. www.AutomotiveRhythms.com.
Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company’s Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (in development in Georgia), and several cutting-edge R&D facilities. These operations, combined with those of Hyundai’s 835 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a recent economic impact report. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.
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