Hampton U Students Among Those Awarded By Apple

HAMPTON

Two Hampton University students are among 30 HBCU students who will receive scholarships from Apple’s $40 Million Diversity Effort, according to a recent Hampton University press release. 

Lauren Patterson and Malik Jones each will receive a one-year scholarship of up to $25,000 and study as summer interns in Apple’s Cupertino headquarter in California. The scholarships were awarded at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Annual Leadership Institute in Washington D.C., on Nov. 16.

“Being in this inaugural class is such an honor,” said Lauren Patterson, a junior computer science major from Philadelphia, who interned with Apple last summer. “It’s really important because it shows how Apple is taking the initiative to hire more HBCU students, which will make Apple even more diverse.”

The other winner, Malik Jones, a junior journalism major from Alpharetta, Ga. said, “This has been a very humbling experience. I can’t wait to get insight into how Apple’s public relations team works on the global market. Getting hands-on experience with a company that is this large is a challenge that I’m eagerly awaiting. Lauren and I also hope to raise awareness for this program on campus, so next year more Hampton students will apply. The goal is to bridge the gap between HBCUs and big companies.”    

The Apple award also includes a year-round development program to prepare for post-graduation careers. And students will work with an Apple employee mentor during their senior year; serve as ambassadors on their HBCU campuses to build awareness for the Apple and TMCF Diversity Initiative; and participate in the Apple HBCU Immersion experience in Cupertino, California during spring 2016.  

About 1,200 students from 47 different HBCUs applied for 30 awards from Apple.