About the Foundation
Mission
The T. Howard Foundation’s mission is to diversify the multimedia and entertainment industry by increasing the representation of minority young men and women within the industry. This is accomplished via a comprehensive program, for minority college students that consist of:
- an internship program that gives students industry knowledge and experience;
- professional development, that prepares students for their internship and the corporate environment;
- career awareness that recruits students by making them aware of career opportunities in the industry; and
- industry awareness that identifies and recruits multimedia organizations that will host interns.
The T. Howard Foundation is a 501( c )(3) non-profit, charitable organization located in the Metropolitan Washington area. The Foundation conducts activities nationwide working with diverse college students, colleges and universities and multimedia companies to promote the value and benefits of diversity.
History
In the 1990’s television, satellite and cable was fast becoming an entertainment utopia for subscribers and viewers. New networks and technologies were being developed and launched at an unprecedented pace, targeting and reaching new and diverse audiences. During an industry trade association Board meeting, Scott Weiss, then Executive Vice President with Turner Broadcasting, noted the lack of diversity in this rapidly growing industry. In response, he garnered support from industry leaders, along with Turner Broadcasting, and in 1994 announced the formation of a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in the industry.
The Foundation was named after Taylor Howard, a Stanford University professor, visionary and inventor of the technology used today, by both the cable and satellite industry. Taylor, who unfortunately died in an airplane crash in 2002, believed that the very technology he helped create, would one day be instrumental in uniting people of various cultures around the world.
Each year, the T. Howard Foundation recruits undergraduate and graduate students of color, from public and private colleges nationwide, for placement into company sponsored internship opportunities within the multimedia and entertainment industry.
To date, the Foundation has placed more than 500 interns into paid full-time internship positions, with a significant number of interns going on to gain full-time positions within the industry every year.
Today, the Foundation is proud to have T. Howard alums at all levels within the industry; from entry level to executive management.
