Atlanta Falcons announce 2026 HBCU Fellows

The Atlanta Falcons are once again investing in the future of Black excellence, officially unveiling the 2026 HBCU Fellows Program in partnership with Wells Fargo — a career development initiative designed to create pathways for the next generation of leaders in sports, entertainment, business, and media.

The program offers students from Atlanta-area HBCUs the opportunity to gain hands-on experience inside one of the NFL’s premier organizations, with fellows working across departments including marketing, communications, community engagement, content production, partnerships, and football operations. More importantly, the initiative continues the Falcons’ growing commitment to building meaningful pipelines for HBCU talent in industries where representation has historically been limited.

With 17 students from Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Morris Brown College participating — the largest cohort in program history — the fellowship has quickly emerged as one of the NFL’s standout HBCU-centered professional development initiatives. Former fellows have gone on to secure opportunities throughout professional sports, media, entertainment, and corporate America, further cementing the program as more than just a résumé builder, but a true launching pad for young Black professionals.

The 2026 Atlanta Falcons HBCU Fellows are listed below:

Clark Atlanta University

• Jivon Cole (Prince George’s County, MD)
• Renee Joplin (Memphis, TN)
• Ariana Ryals (Baltimore, MD)
• Colette Sinkfield (Atlanta, GA)

Morehouse College

• Jared Myers (Chesapeake, VA)
• Sterling Reese (Columbia, SC)
• Kane Watson (Louisville, KY)

Morris Brown College

• Jylan Thomas (Atlanta, GA)

Spelman College

• Madison Allen (Brookline, MA)
• Noldine Belizaire (Broward County, FL)
• Olivia Graham (Columbus, OH)
• Nia Long (East Lansing, MI)
• Mariama Njie (Marietta, GA)
• Sarah Sloan (Houston, TX)
• Arianna Smith-Forte (Clarksville, TN)
• Layla M. Stubbs (Chicago, IL)
• Sydney Sherman (Baltimore, MD)

The eight-week paid program officially launched May 1 with an immersive orientation experience that blended career exposure, entertainment, financial education, and community impact. To kick off the fellowship, students participated in the “Creative Currency Experience,” joining Grammy Award-winning producer and entrepreneur Jermaine Dupri and Grammy Award-winning music executive Amir Windom alongside representatives from Wells Fargo, the Falcons, and Atlanta Habitat for Humanity.

The experience included a behind-the-scenes tour of a recording studio and a fireside chat centered around the theme “Earn, Learn and Return,” highlighting creativity, financial literacy, civic engagement, and life lessons for the next generation of professionals.

Dupri emphasized the cultural significance of Atlanta and the long-term impact programs like this can have on both students and the city itself.

“Atlanta has always been about creativity, culture and community coming together. Wells Fargo and the Falcons giving these students the opportunity to see how their passions can connect to real careers — and to give back to the city at the same time — is powerful. I’m proud to be a part of a program that invests in the next generation.”

On May 4, the fellows also joined Falcons staff and Wells Fargo volunteers for a home build connected to the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project’s 40th annual week of builds, which took place in Atlanta for the first time since 1988 in the Sylvan Hills-Langston Park neighborhood.

“The Atlanta Falcons HBCU Fellows Program is about opening doors — to professional opportunity, mentorship and meaningful experiences that help students chart successful futures,” said Tai Roberson, Southeast Executive of Philanthropy and Community Impact at Wells Fargo. “By launching this cohort with Jermaine and Amir, we expanded into the highly sought-after music and entertainment fields, and by engaging directly in the Carter Work Project, we showed what it looks like when financial empowerment, culture and community come together with purpose.”
Throughout the summer, fellows will continue working within departments across the Falcons and AMB Sports and Entertainment offices, gaining practical experience while building professional networks and transferable career skills.

“Since the program’s inception, we have seen extraordinary talent emerge from Atlanta’s HBCUs,” said Bella Vaughan, HR Manager of Early Talent Programs and Inclusion for the Falcons. “Our fellows and program alumni exemplify the next generation of leaders shaping the future of the sports and entertainment industry. This year’s class joins a legacy of 41 alumni who continue to write their own stories, seize every opportunity to learn, and most importantly give back and strengthen the communities that shaped them.”