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 1990s, television, satellite and cable were 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 H. Taylor Howard, an American scientist, radio engineer, Stanford University professor, visionary, and inventor of the technology used today by the cable, satellite, and telecommunications industries. His career spanned 50 years and he was widely recognized as a leader in the scientific, academic, business, and non-profit communities. His involvement in the development of television transmission technology in the '60s and '70s revolutionized the wide television distribution capabilities that we enjoy today. Taylor believed that the very technology he helped create would one day be instrumental in uniting people from around the world. 

To date, the Foundation has placed more than 600 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.