Howard University has entered a 20-year partnership with Jordan Brand in an effort to expand academic and athletic opportunities at the college, the university announced on Thursday.
As part of the agreement, Howard, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) in Washington, D.C., will work with the shoe and athletic wear brand to ramp up the school’s athletic department, including boosting recruitment efforts and providing new athletic gear. The university is also set to unveil its first Jumpman uniforms on Aug. 27.
School officials said they hope to build on the power of Jordan Brand by raising awareness of the importance of HBCUs in college sports.
“Howard University and Jordan Brand share a legacy of excellence and deep commitment to the Black Community,” Craig Williams, president of Jordan Brand, said in a statement. “As a HBCU graduate, I understand the educational impact an institution like Howard University has. We are proud to partner with Howard University and see the growth in Black talent on the field and well beyond it.”
Jordyn Allen, the student association president at Howard University, said the partnership will have a lasting effect on the college community.
“HBCU‘s have been impacting culture since the beginning,” Allen said in a statement. “Now we see a new era on the horizon, and an opportunity with Jordan Brand to introduce Howard University to the world.”
