The Atlanta Falcons and Wells Fargo announced on May 27 the selection of the 2026 cohort for the Atlanta Falcons HBCU Fellows Program presented by Wells Fargo. The eight-week paid fellowship offers career pathways and real-world experience to students from Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morris Brown College, and Spelman College.
The program began its fourth year on May 1 with an orientation for the 17 selected fellows, marking the largest group in its history. The orientation included access to Atlanta’s music and entertainment industry and a community service event on May 4. On May 1, fellows joined Grammy-Award-winning producer Jermaine Dupri, music executive Amir Windom, representatives from Wells Fargo, the Atlanta Falcons, and Atlanta Habitat for Humanity for a Creative Currency Experience at a recording studio. The event featured a fireside chat focused on creativity, financial education, civic engagement, and life lessons under the theme “Earn, Learn and Return.” On May 4, fellows participated in a home build with staff from the Falcons and volunteers from Wells Fargo as part of the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project’s annual week of builds in Atlanta.
Jermaine Dupri said, “Atlanta has always been about creativity, culture and community coming together. Wells Fargo and the Falcons giving these students the opportunity to see how their passions can connect to real careers – and to give back to the city at the same time – is powerful. I’m proud to be a part of a program that invests in the next generation.”
Tai Roberson of Wells Fargo said, “The Atlanta Falcons HBCU Fellows Program is about opening doors – to professional opportunity, mentorship and meaningful experiences that help students chart successful futures. By launching this cohort with Jermaine and Amir, we expanded into the highly sought-after music and entertainment fields, and by engaging directly in the Carter Work Project, we showed what it looks like when financial empowerment, culture and community come together with purpose.”
Throughout their fellowship term this fall, participants will work within various departments across both organizations while building professional networks. Bella Vaughan of Human Resources at Atlanta Falcons said, “Since the program’s inception we have seen extraordinary talent emerge from Atlanta’s HBCUs… This year’s class joins a legacy of 41 alumni who continue to write their own stories… give back and strengthen communities that shaped them.” The full list of selected fellows includes students representing all four partner universities.
The Atlanta Falcons are based in Atlanta as an NFL team competing in NFC South division; they began as an expansion team in 1965; reached Super Bowls twice (1998 & 2016); Freddie serves as mascot; further details are available, according to their official website.