eHBCU Is In Session: HBCU President Dr. D’Wayne…
He once reimagined sneakers; now he’s reimagining education.
As back-to-school season continues, Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, the visionary HBCU President who went from drawing Jordans in Inglewood to designing for Biggie, Nas, and Nike, is now making waves in a complete new lane and telling BOSSIP all about it.
Source: Courtesy of D’Wayne Edwards, President of Pensole Lewis College of Business
The legendary footwear designer turned schooling disruptor is stepping past the classroom and straight into the cloud with eHBCU, the first-ever digital platform bringing traditionally Black schools and tradition into the future.
tech-savvy motion aimed at uniting Black brilliance, shattering boundaries, and making the wealthy legacy of HBCUs clickable, customizable, and culturally rooted.
“It’s about access. It’s about equity. And it’s about evolving how we reach our people,” Edwards told BOSSIP.
Backed by a powerhouse crew of six companion faculties — Delaware State, Alabama State, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, and all three Southern University campuses — eHBCU.edu lets college students be taught from anyplace, at any time, while staying plugged into their Black heritage. Picture taking lessons from a number of HBCUs, incomes transferable credit, and still getting those soul-stirring, culture-rich experiences that make HBCUs what they’re.
And the impression is already going viral.
Source: Courtesy of D’Wayne Edwards, President of Pensole Lewis College of Bus / Courtesy
eHBCU made its official in-person debut at this yr’s ESSENCE Festival, where the platform pulled up to the Global Black Economic Forum’s Recruitment Center with an immersive sales space full of vibes. From digital photograph classes and “What’s Your E?” storytelling partitions to mentorship sign-ups and live confessions, 1000’s got here through to faucet into the future of Black schooling, all in one buzzing, tech-powered space.
On July 4, Edwards himself took to the GBEF mainstage, delivering a gem-filled discuss on financial literacy and the ability of data.
“Knowledge is wealth. That’s our mindset at eHBCU,” he said. “By coming together, we’re not just closing the education gap — we’re creating new lanes for Black success to thrive.”
And let’s not neglect: Dr. Edwards still runs Pensole Lewis, the nation’s only design-centered HBCU, which he revived in Detroit with a mission to construct inventive pipelines and change the face of product design. His college students have already landed a whole bunch of industry gigs.
What began as a small design academy in Portland turned into a legacy project in Detroit. There, he teamed up with the household of Dr. Violet T. Lewis, the founder of the Lewis College of Business, an HBCU initially launched in 1928 to create alternatives for Black ladies.
In 2022, Edwards resurrected the college as the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design and made historical past. It’s now the only HBCU devoted solely to design, innovation, and product creation; and it’s Black-owned, Black-led, and Black excellence from the ground up.
At PLC, college students get hands-on, head-down, hustle-hard expertise with major manufacturers.
“We recreate what product teams look like in actual companies,” Edwards explained. “Designers, engineers, marketing teams — everything. So by the time our students finish, they’ve already been working like professionals.”
And the proof is in the pipeline: Over 1,000 college students from his packages have already damaged into the industry.
Now he’s turning his focus to serving to even more younger Black dreamers get their foot in the door, no matter their zip code.
With eHBCU, college students who could never step foot on a conventional campus can now construct real credentials, join with mentors, and collaborate with classmates from across the nation — all while staying deeply related to HBCU tradition.
“We’re just getting started,” said Edwards. “This is about creating generational access. I want every student — from the dorm room to the dining room table — to know they have the tools to shape their future.”
From Jordans to joint levels, Dr. D’Wayne Edwards is proving that when Black minds lead, the future follows.
Class is formally in session.
The post eHBCU Is In Session: HBCU President Dr. D’Wayne Edwards Is Digitally Redefining Black Excellence In Education [Exclusive] appeared first on GWN.
