Detroit, Michigan’s erstwhile Lewis College of Business is making history after being resurrected by one of the biggest names in footwear and apparel design.
The college operated from 1928 to 2013 before shuttering due to financial concerns and will now become the nation’s first HBCU to officially reopen, giving hope to the 104 similar institutions that were until recently a significant part of President Biden’s multi-trillion dollar Build Back Better spending plan.
The school is offering free room and board as well as comped tuition for students interested in pursuing careers in the design field. Its website is promoting a learn-by-doing approach that will help train students across multiple disciplines, including robust course offerings in STEM fields, sustainability, business, and design.
Renamed the Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design, the reimagined institution takes its name from Pensole Design Academy, a Portland, Oregon-based non-profit founded in 2010 by former Nike design director D’Wayne Edwards.
“The diversity of thought is what creates innovation. I really do hope what we're doing inspires other colleges in states with HBCUs to do the same,” Edwards told Michigan’s NPR station.
Edwards said the coursework would be heavily influenced by corporate donors like Target, and that he was inspired for the revamp by the original college’s namesake, businesswoman and educator Violet Temple Davis.
“HBCUs have some of the brightest minds in our country but lack access to design education. We’re here to change that,” the founder said.
The college will begin enrolling students in December, with classes anticipated to begin in March. Initial classes will be held at the College for Creative Studies’ A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education. The PLA has submitted necessary forms and will await accreditation from Michigan’s Department of Education. Admissions and other Information about the college can be found here when it becomes available.
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