The Oklahoma City Thunder have partnered with CAA Sports to create the Thunder Fellows Program. The fellowship program is designed to provide new opportunities in sports, technology and entertainment to Black students in Tulsa. It will be divided in to two groups, young leaders and fellows. The young leaders group will be comprised of high school students and the fellows group will be made of college students at local colleges and universities.
“Our organization is deeply committed to social justice and the actions that are necessary to create better opportunities for the Black community, now and in the future,” Thunder Chairman Clayton I. Bennett said.
Thunder and @caa_sports announce Thunder Fellows Program, unlocking new career opportunities for Black students in Tulsa. Emphasis is on data analytics and creating pipeline for jobs in sports, entertainment and tech.
News release:https://t.co/IkvbJ19CfV pic.twitter.com/kxfWKCK2FM
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) July 7, 2020
“I am proud that the Thunder Fellows Program will both provide tangible learning for the future, and also serve as a symbol in the Historic Greenwood District. We will work tirelessly to make this a program that will create change for generations to come,” Bennett continued.
The George Kaiser Family Foundation will also join the Thunder and CAA Sports in guiding the program. Also, an Oklahoma City Thunder player will serve on the board each year.
“This is a great opportunity for Tulsa’s future and our kids. The sports industry is a career dream for so many young people, and this program captures their imagination, not just as potential athletes, but as future business leaders, creative designers, and technology professionals,” GKFF Program Officer Brandon Oldham said.
The Thunder Fellows Program is set to launch in 2021, 100 years after the infamous Tulsa Race Massacre.
