HBCU LEADERSHIP HUB THE ‘PROPEL CENTER’ ANNOUNCES $3 MILLION IN RESEARCH GRANTS
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WHY WE
PROPEL

THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT IS CHANGING.

Yesterday’s solutions will not solve tomorrow’s challenges. These changes require that we train tomorrow’s leaders in a way that leverages technology for creative and dynamic problem solving. History has demonstrated how Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) can drive transformative change and elevate the way people of color see and experience the world. Propel Center will serve as a catalytic epicenter of learning that provides HBCU students with the knowledge, skills, tools and resources necessary to transform our nation’s talent pipeline and workforce. Our vision is to build generations of black leaders who advance equity and justice through technology, entrepreneurship, education and social impact.

WHERE WE PROPEL

The AUC* Hub

PROPEL ON-SITE

Propel Center

Spanning 50,000 square feet, Propel Center will include state-of-the-art spaces to accommodate lecture halls, learning labs and common areas to facilitate group learning. The physical Propel Center will serve as a centralized nexus and symbol for HBCU collaboration across the country.

Accelerator Program

Propel Center will provide students with access to an accelerator program with course offerings focused on entrepreneurship, app development, the business of entertainment, community-driven problem solving and more. Propel Center will deliver in-person and remote coaching from industry professionals ranging from global scholars and startup founders, to policy leaders and renowned entertainers.

On-Site Living

Propel Center will be built to accommodate a scholars-in-residence program. Scholars and/or fellows will move to Atlanta throughout the duration of their residency/program. The on-site living accommodations will include fully furnished efficiency suites to aid in their relocation.

*Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUC Consortium) is the largest contiguous consortium of African American higher education institutions in the United States. The center consists of four HBCUs — Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College and the Morehouse School of Medicine — allowing for students to cross-register at each institution in order to attain a broader collegiate experience.

The Virtual Campus

The Virtual Campus

PROPEL ONLINE

More than ever, technology is needed to connect students to learning. Propel provides virtual access to best-in-class learning experiences through a state-of-the-art online digital platform that will be accessible to every HBCU student located anywhere across America, or even the world. With a commitment to increasing learner engagement, Propel will use this technology to engage students in virtual master classes delivered by the nation’s most respected faculty in higher education and the world’s most influential business minds across industries and entrepreneurship. We envision using this technology to engage thought leaders like Spike Lee, Jack Ma, Lisa Jackson and Tom Fanning, and then connect them to students to broaden what they believe is possible. Through Propel's virtual campus, HBCU students can learn from anywhere.

Propel Pathway

PREPARE WITH PROPEL

Too many students leave college with debt but no degree. Located at college extension sites across the country, Propel Pathway is a one-year program for low-income high school graduates who are college-capable, but not yet college-ready. We provide low GPA students with the academic support and wraparound services to access, persist, and succeed in college – all at no cost. Students earn transferable college credits and receive hundreds of hours of intensive tutoring and counseling to ensure they complete our program college-ready and career-ready.

HBCU Ideation Labs
Propel Startup
Propel Startup
Propel Startup will multiply the development of Black entrepreneurs by exposing HBCU students to the ideation process, connecting them to Propel’s accelerator, giving them a space to incubate their business and providing them access to venture capitalists and mentors to help navigate the various stages of business growth.
Propel Arts & Entertainment
Propel Arts & Entertainment
Propel Arts will create more innovative artists and entertainment executives of color across film, television, music and sports broadcasting through virtual and on-campus ideation labs, mentorship and hands-on experience with industry artists and corporate entertainment entities.
Propel Agri-Tech
Propel Agri-Tech
Propel Agri-Tech will advance the creation of technology in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture with the aim of improving yield, efficiency and profitability. Propel Agri-Tech will develop agricultural technology products, services and applications derived from the cultivation of industrial hemp such as paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, health-conscious food, fuel and advanced material technologies for construction, automotive and aerospace uses.
Propel Justice
Propel Justice
Propel Justice will develop social justice-minded leaders who are prepared to serve as community organizers and activists, and become transformative political influencers. Special features will include using technology to involve HBCU students in the important work of organizations like the Equal Justice Initiative and connect them to history through partnerships with historic organizations and augmented reality technology.

Propel is an unprecedented opportunity to prepare the next generation of African Americans for leadership in the innovation economy. By joining forces with all HBCUs and collaborating deeply with leading technology-focused employers, Propel will prepare large numbers of civic-minded students to shape the future through innovation and entrepreneurship.

- Gene Wade

gene-1

Meet Our CEO

Gene Wade has a multi-decade year career as a leading social entrepreneur building innovative education organizations.  Prior to Propel, Gene was founder and CEO of Honors Pathway, an organization that enabled low-income students to attend their first year of college at no cost. 

Gene also founded and led several social ventures, including One University Network, which partnered with universities in sub-saharan Africa to offer college degrees via mobile devices; UniversityNow, which developed a self-paced online learning management system designed to lower the cost of higher education that was acquired and is currently serving hundreds of thousands of online students; Platform Learning, which developed a network of free after school tutoring programs that served over 50,000 low-income students; and LearnNow, the first national network of public charter schools founded and led by African Americans. He also serves on several non-profit boards, including the Pahara Institute, Portal Schools, and Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area.

Gene's work has been profiled by numerous news publications, including Forbes Magazine, The New York Times, Fast Company, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2011, he shared his personal story and vision for higher education at TEDx San Francisco.  

Gene holds a BA from Morehouse College, JD from Harvard Law School, and MBA from The Wharton School. 
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