PepsiCo Partners With HBCU to Increase Representation of Black Designers in Industry

PepsiCo Partners With HBCU to Increase Representation of Black Designers in Industry

April 4, 2023

Today, PepsiCo and Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design celebrate the first step in their three-year partnership to develop Black designers and increase representation in the design industry. PepsiCo is revealing the work from its inaugural program at Pensole Lewis, the first and only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) dedicated to design, which tasked students to create a new student lounge on campus. Designers from the PepsiCo Design & Innovation team and MillerKnoll mentored Pensole Lewis students through the design process, a precursor to how PepsiCo will invest in bringing the winning concept to life this summer with support from MillerKnoll. In addition, PepsiCo teamed up with NBA star Russell Westbrook, who was inspired by the program and shares its mission to create opportunities for the community, to further amplify the effort and unveil the completed lounge on campus.

"Education has always been a cause I've been passionate about. I'm proud to partner with PepsiCo to give Pensole Lewis students the recognition they deserve for their hard work and creativity," said Westbrook, who also shared a congratulatory pre-recorded message with students.

With studies showing that Black designers account for only 3% of the industry1, PepsiCo and Pensole Lewis's larger partnership aims to address the diversity gap by providing students access to invaluable resources. The program looks to create opportunities for students through mentoring with PepsiCo professionals, one-of-a-kind apprenticeships, and creating a pipeline for job recruitment.

Read the source article at prnewswire.com

© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved | National Black Lawyers
crossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram