OUR COMMUNITY
EICOP Alumni
Our alumni are making waves across the industry. EICOP scholars and alumni continue to bring their talent, perspective, and preparation into spaces shaping the future of the industry.
From Opportunity to Career
EICOP alumni are building careers across entertainment, media, sports, gaming, and related industries. They can be found working at studios, networks, agencies, production companies, sports organizations, and businesses across the country.
Many also return to EICOP as mentors, speakers, recruiters, managers, and advocates, helping create opportunities for the students coming behind them.
Alumni Voices
EICOP alumni share how access, preparation, community, and opportunity helped shape their career journeys.
"The program was my first initial experience with the entertainment industry. So just learning how entertainment works. Getting my foot holes in it and just learning how to move about in it. Like it was my first introduction to it at all."
Jon Key
2019 Cohort
"HBCU IN LA® to me is a place of belonging. It's a home away from home. It's a sense of community with other people that are like minded, not just other talented, incredible black individuals specifically, but those that are entertainment oriented, those that are going to be helping to change the industry, that are going to be way makers and helping us to push the narrative forward of being black and present in the spaces that we're in."
Myles Chandler
2022 Cohort
"HBCU IN LA® — Los Angeles seemed like a distant place and HBCU IN LA® allowed me to get out here."
Kaprielle Trenard
2019 Cohort
"When I was accepted into the cohort in 2020, I knew it would open doors professionally, but I never could have imagined the lasting community, mentorship, and lifelong friendships it would bring."
Marcus S. Ferby
2020 Cohort
"This program was genuinely life-changing for me when I first participated, and every time I return, I leave with new insights and valuable lessons."
Jacob A. Smith
2023 & 2024 Cohort
"EICOP is far more than an entertainment industry pipeline for professional development. It is a foundational part of this connection and community."
Courtney Roberts
2024, 2025, & 2026 Cohort
FEATURED STORIES
Alumni Stories
Film & TelevisionFrom Pages to Possibilities: Tyler Fisher's Journey to Access, Exposure, and Self-Made Opportunity
From a Charlotte shelter to Hollywood — Tyler turned struggle into stories, landing on Basketball Wives and directing his first short film.
Tyler Fisher
Writer, Director & Producer
MediaPivot with Purpose: How Culture, Curiosity & Confidence Shaped Hannah Powell's Career
From electrical engineering to Disney's National Geographic — Hannah's pivot through Morgan State and HBCU IN NY® shaped a purpose-driven career.
Hannah Powell
Executive Assistant, VP of Social Media — National Geographic
Film & TelevisionGrit and Greatness: How Rance Ward is Writing His Own Hollywood Story
From Howard University to Will Packer Productions to a staff writer role at 20th Century Fox — Rance's full-circle Hollywood story.
Rance Ward
Staff Writer — 20th Century Fox
Film & TelevisionRewriting the Narrative: Kamaya Walker's Path from Persistence to Production Assistant
Rejected the first time, Kamaya came back bolder — landing on Grown-ish and now helping tell the stories of the next generation of EICOP students.
Kamaya Walker
Production Assistant & Director of Content, EICOP Alumni Board
AnimationDare to Dream: How Myles Chandler Turned His Passion into a Career at DreamWorks Animation
A Morehouse grad who thought animation wasn't for him — until HBCU IN LA® placed him at DreamWorks, where he's now a full-time employee.
Myles Chandler
Assistant to the Producer & Director — DreamWorks Animation
EntertainmentJalen Ellis is Redefining Representation in Entertainment
From Staten Island DVD collector to The Gersh Agency — Jalen went from HBCU IN LA® intern to full-time advocate for diverse voices in Hollywood.
Jalen Ellis
Feature Literary Department — The Gersh Agency
ALUMNI NETWORK
Stay Connected With EICOP
We want to keep our alumni community informed about new programs, events, career opportunities, and ways to stay engaged. If you are not receiving our emails or your contact information has changed, please let us know so we can keep you connected.
Whether you are looking to give back as a mentor, speak at an event, support recruitment, share career updates, or simply stay connected to the community that helped launch your career, we would love to hear from you.
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Whether you are a student, alum, partner, donor, or supporter, there is a place for you in the EICOP community.