Audi of America Extends Multimedia Internship for a Third Year with North Carolina A&T Students and the Black Automotive Media Group
Dubbed “The Driving Force,” the HBCU internship program educates students on career opportunities in the automobile industry, including marketing, multimedia, PR, and publishing.
A unique partnership has been created for students interested in exploring professional development within the automotive field. Through the Black Automotive Media Group (BAMG), scholars from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) participate in The Driving Force (TDF), a virtual 10-week, field-credit internship comprising training and mentoring sessions. While this course is supported by automobile manufacturers seeking diverse talent pipelines for future employment, participating enrollees additionally learn about upward mobility at the multimedia, marketing, and supplier levels.
For the spring 2023 academic semester, TDF welcomes 14 inquisitive minds from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, NC. They will be guided by the corporate leadership and forward thinking of executives and professionals from Audi, which is based in Herndon, Virginia.
“Our collaboration with N.C A&T and Audi marks an evolving academic curriculum with HBCUs that allows us to extend new opportunities to African American students,” said BAMG founding member Kimatni D. Rawlins. “The Driving Force will continue to help create career advancement for talented young men and women while offering perspective on the extensive occupations in the mobility space.”
TDF evolved following discussions between automakers and BAMG members eager to progress the business segment. While those conversations began with an effort to improve the diversity and inclusion of African American journalists covering the industry, an internship idea manifested internally to help prepare the next generation of media professionals.
“We are thrilled and so proud to engage with the Black Automotive Media Group for a third year,” said Emilie Cotter, Audi of America’s Chief Communications Officer. “This partnership provides a really meaningful exchange where we get to live our brand’s commitment to a more inclusive future, and foster opportunities to bring diverse talent and perspectives into the industry.”
The program is led by respected automotive media experts Kimatni D. Rawlins of Automotive Rhythms Communications, media guru Marcus Amick, and journalist Greg Morrison of Bumper2BumperTV.
“We are grateful and thrilled that our students have the opportunity to learn, practice, and grow in such an important sector,” said Dr. Robbie R. Morganfield, chair of the Department of Journalism & Mass Communication at North Carolina A&T. “We are forever indebted to BAMG for their vision and inviting us into their fold.”
About North Carolina A&T University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the nation’s largest historically Black university. It is a land-grant, doctoral university, classified as “high research” by the Carnegie Foundation and a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System. A&T is known for its leadership in producing graduates in engineering, agriculture, and other STEM fields. The university was founded in 1891 and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina.
About Audi of America
At Audi of America, we believe the future is electric. By 2025, our U.S. model lineup will be at least 30 percent electrified, including fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Globally, we are committed to net CO2 neutrality by 2050. In 2022, Audi sold 186,875 vehicles in the U.S., sold more fully electric models than ever before, and achieved a record-breaking year in after sales. Learn more about who we are and how we’re working to create a more sustainable, innovative, and inclusive future at audiusa.com or media.audiusa.com.
About the Black Automotive Media Group
The Black Automotive Media Group is a distinguished group of African American reporters and writers representing over 200 years of combined experience in automotive journalism within radio, television, print, experiential marketing, and social media. BAMG members either work for or own various automotive media platforms to bring equity to Black professionals within the automotive industry. For additional details regarding The Driving Force HBCU program, please visit AutomotiveRhythms.com.
