In partnership with Wolverine Worldwide Brands (WWW), Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design (PLC) has launched a five-week master class for aspiring Black and Brown creatives to build their skills in design.
Students will expand on footwear design, apparel design, color and materials design, and product marketing through a hands-on learning curriculum.
“This master class was developed for Black and Brown students to help them become robust designers with knowledge of the footwear and retail industry,” Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, PLC founder, said. “Those selected will be introduced to Wolverine Worldwide, providing top students with internship opportunities that allow them to gain an intimate knowledge of their brands, consumers, and cultures.”
Students will work on briefs cocreated by Pensole Lewis College and Wolverine Worldwide brands Keds, Merrell, Saucony, Sperry, and Wolverine, in design teams for footwear, color, and materials, apparel, and product marketing.
The apprenticeship course will leave aspiring designers with weekly instruction but challenge them with design studio concepts and work.
WWW brand’s design teams will provide mentorship and weekly project reviews. This program will enable them to experience what it is like working at a brand while developing their time management, professionalism, and leadership skills.
The Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design is the name chosen to be used by the Lewis College of Business, the first and only HBCU in Michigan.
Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, the founder of the Pensole Design Academy in Oregon, is working to reinstate the Lewis College of Business in Detroit. The Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design is supported by philanthropic contributions from Target and the Gilbert Family Foundation.
The course will run from Jun. 13-Jul. 15. Registration for the class is open globally for students 18 and older until April 18 at pensolelewiscollege.com/apply/.
