Filmmaker Spike Lee’s 40 Acres & Mule and The Gersh Agency Partner with Morgan State University on New Summer Internship Initiative

Partnership Aims to Enhance Pipeline of HBCU Grads Working in the Film Industry

Lee’s gotta have it…interns from one of the nation’s fastest-rising Historically Black Colleges and/or Universities (HBCUs) that is. Morgan State University’s School of Global Journalism and Communication (SGJC) is partnering with famed filmmaker Spike Lee’s 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks and The Gersh Agency, a leading entertainment industry talent firm, to create an extensive multimedia summer internship program. The internship program's goal is to prepare the SGJC student to be hired with a full-time position within the film industry upon graduation.

Beginning in June 2024, an SGJC student will travel to Los Angeles or New York to participate in an eight-week internship opportunity. The selected intern will work side-by-side with producers to study film production, help craft and edit scripts, and learn the mechanics of making feature films and television programs.

“This is an incredible opportunity for SGJC and our students,” said Jackie Jones, dean of the School of Global Journalism and Communication. “We look forward to a successful and lasting partnership.”

The announcement comes at a fitting time, as the school currently celebrates its 10^th anniversary as a school of journalism and mass communication. The internship program and partnership with SGJC was created by SGJC alumnus Steven Jackson, head of production and development for 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, and Jayson Council, head of culture for The Gersh Agency. The project is an offshoot of Lee’s inaugural Spike Fellows Program.

The Spike Fellows Program supports undergraduate students from the Atlanta University Center Consortium with an interest in the film industry, providing them with access and exposure to create career opportunities. 

Much like the fellowship program, the SGJC intern will also receive mentoring from The Gersh Agency, one of Hollywood’s premiere talent agencies. The agency’s roster of clients includes award-winning actors, writers, producers, directors and production talent in film, television, new media, branded content and stage. Gersh has remained one of the most recognizable names in the entertainment industry for more than seven decades.

SGJC hopes that the new partnership and its subsequent success will lead to more internship opportunities for Morgan students with their sights set on the film industry, and the creation of a robust pipeline to diverse talent.