The Howard University School of Business launched the Center for Digital Business, created with the support of a donation from HubSpot, a customer relationship management (CRM) platform. The gift from HubSpot will support the creation and management of the Center for Digital Business as well as related business education offerings and programming over the next five years.

“We are excited to announce our partnership with HubSpot to create a new Center for Digital Business,” said Anthony Wilbon, Ph.D., dean of the Howard University School of Business. “For our students to remain competitive, it is critical that they have exposure to the latest technologies and processes that are utilized in the current business environment. The new Center will certainly accelerate our goal to enhance students’ skills so they can be immediate contributors to the digital workforce.”

The Center for Digital Business will provide a multipurpose space within the School of Business to facilitate education, collaboration and innovation among students, faculty, staff and business leaders. Programming for the Center will focus on three key areas: academic offerings, experiential learning opportunities and support for job readiness.

The School of Business is slated to begin offering for-credit courses through the Center in the Spring 2021 semester. The first course will focus on training students to conduct a social media audit, preparing them to provide strategic business consulting in digital marketing. Ultimately, the Center seeks to provide School of Business students with a range of academic courses and offer students the opportunity to pursue digital business as a degree concentration or academic certificate.

The Center will also provide students with opportunities beyond the classroom. Guest lectures from executives at leading companies integrating digital business strategies will allow students to hear insights from seasoned professionals. The Center will also support the creation of student clubs, where students will learn to provide solutions to real businesses, participate in case competitions and more.

“The Center for Digital Business is going to empower students with the ability to apply their business education in today’s digital landscape,” said Yuvay Meyers Ferguson, Ph.D., marketing professor and assistant dean of impact and engagement at Howard University School of Business. “We hope that students engaging with the Center will take with them the current and in-demand skills needed to excel in corporate jobs. And most importantly, we plan for them to be equipped with the tools needed to create their own successful businesses.”

In line with the school’s efforts to create a pipeline of diverse professionals with relevant skills and real-world experience, the Center will also provide job-readiness training and mentorship opportunities to help students launch thriving careers in marketing, sales, entrepreneurship and the broader technology sector.