Bloomberg’s ongoing commitment to investing in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) has created a pipeline to impactful careers in financial journalism and communications for students at Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (FAMU SJGC).
Scholars are gaining hands-on experience as interns and trainees at “one of the largest business news organizations on earth” and even getting a chance to receive insights and motivation from Rattlers who have already found success at the company.
After being selected alongside five other FAMU students representing media and business sectors to attend Bloomberg’s HBCU Academy of Excellence in the summer of 2024, recent broadcast journalism graduate Micah Barkley received the tools and access she needed to apply for internship opportunities.
This summer, Barkley landed an internship in the consumer news division, where she researched and reported on consumer trends, analyzed lifestyle and spending shifts, and examined broader market movements affecting American consumers and businesses. Her coverage, available for viewing here, has included major stories about fashion, beauty, food, retail, executive changes, pricing strategies, and evolving sales tactics.
The internship catapulted her into a professional role with the company, and, in October, she will start as a news rotator, reporting for several desks across the Bloomberg newsroom.
Barkley said the HBCU Academy of Excellence, now in its fourth year, played an important role in positioning her for success. She said Bloomberg’s development programs have pushed her to grow as both a journalist and a thinker.
Academy participants immerse themselves in Bloomberg’s culture and career paths over three days while receiving mentorship, shadowing professionals, engaging with leaders, and connecting with the company’s Black Professional Community and HBCU Task Force.
They gain hands-on exposure to the internationally revered Bloomberg Terminal (considered the most powerful tool for financial professionals who need real-time data, news and analytics), and prepare for future opportunities through panels, career prep and mock interviews. Attendees also contribute to a community service project and round out the experience with a cultural outing in New York City.
“The HBCU Academy of Excellence did have an important role in getting the internship. It allowed me to experience Bloomberg’s culture and its newsroom and gave me the tools I needed to prepare for my interview,” Barkley said. “My internship experience was insightful and led me to receive a full-time position with the company.”
This summer in August, two more FAMU SJGC students also received valuable career preparation as selectees for the 2025 academy. Nearly 100 HBCU students, educators and career service representatives from across the country were in attendance. Broadcast journalism students Autumn Haddox, a junior, and Janelle Sears, a senior, joined three other Rattlers representing FAMU’s business, accounting and economics programs at the company’s headquarters.
Haddox, who was immersed in the news division during her attendance, said her Bloomberg experience was “nothing short of amazing” and a source of inspiration during a time of personal uncertainty.
“Bloomberg did a great job of making sure each participant knew they had a place there or that Bloomberg would make a place for them,” Haddox said. “Being reached out to by Rob Boehm, global entry-level business recruiter at Bloomberg, to participate meant the world because during this specific time, I was receiving denial letter after denial letter for internships. (It was important) to see that my work wasn’t going unnoticed. I am passionate about sports media. and all things sports within the journalism industry, so it was great learning the spin on sports business that Bloomberg has.”
The encouragement Haddox received from the spring invitation to join the conference helped her press forward with confidence. She continued to pursue internship and training opportunities and spent the summer interning with the NFL Network’s Technical Operations Program. She also attended the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual convention with a renewed resolve to build connections and gain new experiences.
Sears, who recently completed the POLITICO Journalism Institute summer program, said the Bloomberg experience was a unique and memorable opportunity that underscored the value of HBCUs and their contributions to media.
“We learned about the company’s dedication to supporting HBCUs and its philanthropic efforts,” Sears said. “On the journalism side, we were able to meet journalists who reported on everything from sports business to aerospace to consumer news. The most interesting thing was learning about reporting in ‘The Bloomberg Way,’ as the newsroom is unlike any other because every story is going to ‘follow the money.’”
As Sears continues to build her portfolio with the tools she learned at the academy, she said she hopes more students consider business journalism as they make their career choices.
Bloomberg’s support of HBCU students has continued to create space for Rattlers to thrive in various aspects of news and communications.
Sidney Berry, a spring 2024 graduate, has had a career trajectory that exemplifies how Bloomberg has supported FAMU SJGC students from campus to career. Berry was previously selected to serve as a Bloomberg campus ambassador while a student.
From her ambassadorship, she was selected to participate in Bloomberg’s Media Rotational Program as an associate last year. Just last month, she announced she started a new full-time role as brand and editorial marketing associate at Bloomberg’s headquarters—just in time to share her wisdom and experiences with SJGC and other students during the Bloomberg Academy.
She wrote that it was a “rewarding opportunity” to moderate the academy’s HBCU alumni panel, mentor students about early career growth and navigating corporate culture, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at what roles at Bloomberg are like.
“The future is bright, and I’m proud to play a small part in their journey, even as an early-career professional myself,” she said. “I’m grateful to Bloomberg and the HBCU Taskforce for investing in the next generation of leaders and excited to see where these talented students go next.”
Berry’s passion is helping to pave the way for more Rattlers to launch their careers in the industry and at Bloomberg.
Kennadi Gaither, a junior broadcast journalism major, is another SJGC student benefiting from spending time in New York this summer learning about business journalism at Bloomberg headquarters. She was one of 24 college students from across the United States selected for the weeklong Bloomberg Journalism Program training collaboration in partnership with the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. The program was designed to invest in, diversify and develop the next generation of financial and business reporters by providing access to Bloomberg’s expertise and resources.
Gaither said her experience was both enlightening and inspiring, as she connected with fellow aspiring journalists and learned about the diverse paths that led others to Bloomberg.
“Going to New York to learn about business journalism was such a great experience. I learned how to understand the economy better and read government indexes, so I can write digestible content for readers as a journalist,” Gaither said. “Attending the Bloomberg Journalism Program opened a new interest, and interning or working with Bloomberg is an opportunity I would love.”
Bloomberg has visited the campus often to share information about professional development and career placement opportunities so more students can benefit from their programs.
SJGC scholars like senior broadcast journalism major Kaylin Jean-Louis have expressed appreciation for SJGC’s dedication to making such opportunities available to them by developing partnerships with major media companies like Bloomberg to create pathways to success.
This summer, Jean-Louis was selected to intern in New York with a focus on serving as a production assistant on Bloomberg’s “The Close” and “Balance of Power.” She said she had the opportunity to “work at the heart of Bloomberg TV, assisting in ENPS (Electronic News Production System), pitching story ideas, greeting guests, and learning new production tools.”
“This experience has been transformative, both personally and professionally,” Jean-Louis said. “Interning at Bloomberg gave me hands-on newsroom experience that strengthened my skills as a multimedia journalist. I had the opportunity to connect with and learn from accomplished professionals whose advice and mentorship continue to guide me.”
Jean-Louis also contributed to the company’s print side as a reporter, working closely with editors to publish her first Bloomberg article, “Hybrid Work No Longer Dominant Policy of Fortune 100 Companies,” posted here.
When Jean-Louis first arrived at FAMU, she was eager to take advantage of the many national media connections SJGC offers. She’s also participated in all levels of student media, from on-camera work to production to media management and in-depth writing.
“SJGC’s partnerships and training opportunities have been instrumental in my growth as both a student and an aspiring media professional,” she said. “Through collaborations with companies like Bloomberg and professional development experiences, I’ve been able to gain confidence, sharpen my skills and discover more about myself at this stage than I ever imagined. These opportunities have accelerated my development in ways that might have taken years to realize without them.”
