Phase 1 MVP · clickable prototype

Where HBCU creative talent
meets real opportunity.

A vetted network connecting early-career Black artists from seven HBCUs with mentors, opportunity providers, and each other. Built so students can show up before they have it all figured out.

You’re a student building a profile and finding vetted opportunities & mentors.

You’re a person or org that posts opportunities and browses HBCU creative talent.

Vetted opportunities Mentor-backed Students first

Staff view · moderation queue

Seven HBCUs in the founding cohort

Spelman
Morehouse
Howard
FAMU
NC A&T
Tuskegee
Clark Atlanta

Student onboarding

Build your profile

No reel? No problem. We’ll help you surface what makes you, you. You can keep this sparse — opportunities will still find you.

Takes about 2 minutes
No reel required
Update anytime

1Identity
2Discipline
3Skills & goals
4Your work
5Check profile

Let’s start with you.

Sign in to pull your basics. We use Google so you don’t make yet another password.

Display name Required

HBCU Required

Class year Optional

What’s your creative discipline?

Pick the one that feels most like you. You can add others too.

Primary discipline Required

I also work in Optional

What are you good at, and what are you chasing?

Skills help us match you. Goals tell us where you want to go.

Skills Optional · pick a few

Goals Optional · what do you want next?

Show your work — if you have it.

A link is enough. And if you don’t have a reel yet, that’s genuinely fine.

Portfolio or sample link Optional

One line about your work Optional

I don’t have a reel yet. That’s completely fine. A lot of our members start here. We’ll match you on your discipline, skills, and goals — and help you build a reel through vetted opportunities.

Check your profile.

Add availability, then review what will go live. Use Back to edit anything — your answers are safe.

What Waymakers will see

Step 1 of 5

Student profile & matches

Your profile is live.

Here’s how you show up — and the vetted opportunities already matched to you.

Matched opportunities

Vetted by HBCUx means: staff reviewed the provider, student-safe scope, and pay/stipend details before it reaches students.

Now see how a Waymaker discovers you in the talent directory.

Waymaker dashboard

Browse HBCU creative talent.

Signed in as Atlanta Creative Collective · opportunity provider. Filter the directory, view a student, or post an opportunity.

Staff moderation

Moderation queue.

Every opportunity is reviewed by HBCUx staff before it reaches students. Approved posts become live in matched student opportunity boards and are badged Vetted by HBCUx.

Pending review

Recently approved

Back to the student

A new opportunity just got vetted for you.

This was posted by the Waymaker, approved by staff, and is now visible to Jordan as a vetted match.

New · vetted minutes ago

KM

Kenya Mitchell

HBCUx Mentor · Photo Editor, Atlanta Mirror

Next phase · messaging

“Hey Jordan — saw you saved the Photography Assistant role. Want me to make an intro to the editor? I mentored two Spelman photographers through it last summer.”