Courtesy of Josh Lehnerd
In February of 2022, Walmart launched its Black & Unlimited campaign, which strives to elevate Black community leaders, amplify Black voices and support Black businesses by encouraging Walmart shoppers to check out their selection of Black-owned brands across Walmart departments. As an extension of their mission to empower and support Black excellence, Walmart partnered with iOne Digital to form The HBCU Connection: The Power of a Network campaign. In this video, Marcus Brown, an HBCU business major in the Walmart Live Better U Program and Walmart employee, receives $5,000 to continue on his path to leadership.
Brown grew up in a small town in Georgia where there were very few colleges and even fewer opportunities. Achieving this milestone is incredibly impactful to Brown, who started as an inventory unloader at Walmart in 2009 and worked his way up to digital team leader — a promotion that made him ecstatic and proud, says Brown.
During his time at Walmart, one of his colleagues encouraged Brown to apply to the Live Better U program, through which Walmart pays 100 percent of a student’s tuition, and provides them with a coach to guide them on their journey. This program “builds leadership…better education and instills in us a sense of loyalty,” says Brown.
Receiving this check reaffirms Brown’s goals and his belief in the HBCU system. He says that attending an HBCU means experiencing an atmosphere of brotherhood and love, and it instills a sense of responsibility to be a leader in his community. Marcus’s involvement in the Live Better U campaign and his enrollment in a prestigious HBCU in Atlanta has helped him realize that he has the ability to pursue his dream with unlimited possibilities.
RELATED CONTENT: Rico Love Partnered With Walmart + iOne Digital To Donate Through HBCU Connect; Hairbrella Ceo Partners With Walmart To Pay It Forward To Young Black Entrepreneurs
