Guided by nationally known experts, participants will critically examine key business functions such as board governance, talent acquisition, product development, procurement, and investment through a lens of equity and inclusion “What’s great about this certificate is that students won’t just be hearing from academics and theorists but from practitioners who are subject matter experts who practice this in their business,” said Sampson. “This is for people who want to move the needle, measure change and hold people accountable with data and outcomes.” “This certificate is not for people who need to be convinced of the value of diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Sampson. Together with Rodney, the Eship Center is launching the DEIS Practicum Certificate program, d esigned to help organizational leaders (including c-suite, founders, and boards) of high-growth companies create and integrate solutions that bring diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into all facets of a company. “I want people to think about whether they would be proud of the dais of their company,” said Sampson. “We wanted to be intentional about branding our work as ‘DEIS’ because it is solutions oriented with measurable impact.” He also noted that he wanted to bridge it back to the meaning of dais, which can conjure the image of an event at which a company celebrates its employees, work and accomplishments. “S stands for structural, strategy and solutions,” said Sampson. Rather than just focusing on DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), Sampson’s model of DEIS adds another element. He also holds a number of university and research-related positions, including nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
He is the co- founder, executive chairman & CEO of the Opportunity Hub, as well as General partner of 100 Black Angels & Allies Fund. He is now engaging in multiple ways to create a more inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship and investment ecosystem. Sampson, a successful entrepreneur, investor and ecosystem developer committed to empowering others, currently holds the Keohane distinguished visiting professorship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. Each program kicks off with an introductory webinar in June, with monthly classes running from August 2021 through January 2022.
Both programs will be delivered through The Eship Center’s Scale School. The Eship Center is proud to work with Rodney Sampson’s OHUB and 100 Black Angels and Allies Fund to offer two new courses through Scale School - one to help organizational leaders create more equitable and inclusive workspaces and one to help build a more equitable ecosystem for aspiring Black and ally investors. You can learn more about the DEIS Practicum Certificate program here or the Black Technology Ecosystem Investment Certificate program here.
A diverse and inclusive workforce is key to the success of any venture - and to our community at large. The Entrepreneurship (Eship) Center continues to reaffirm our commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that we do. New Collaboration and Certificate Programs to Create a More Equitable and Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystem