Partnership Drives S.T.E.M. Research and Development Initiatives at ECSU

ATLANTA, GA (June 2015) – HBCU Direct, LLC (HD), a marketing collective specializing in HBCU relations, formed a partnership with Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) to increase government contracts supporting the school’s engineering and aviation programs. With the partnership, the five-year old HBCU agency follows its mission of supporting the nation's 100+ HBCUs through increased revenues or reductions in expenses.

“We are ecstatic about the partnership with Elizabeth City State University and Dr. Stacey Franklin Jones, its new chancellor," said HD CEO/Executive Director and Morehouse College graduate Rod Chappell. "This relationship aligns perfectly with our mission of servicing HBCUs and ECSU has world class programs in aviation, engineering and computer science," added Chappell whose events company, Grassroots Promotions, has produced the BET Black College Tour for more than a decade.

Founded in 1891, ECSU is a public, North Carolina-based, HBCU that has gained an international reputation for its remote sensor projects. "Our partnership with HBCU Direct fits well with our institutional mission to drive increased projects in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. I expect that this program will be a tremendous asset to our students and faculty” stated ECSU Chancellor Dr. Stacey Franklin Jones.

In 2014, HD launched the HBCU Government Contracting Institute to provide HBCUs with expertise in identifying and securing contracts with the federal government. These contracts will provide internships, co-ops or full-time roles within NASA, Department of Defense, US Navy and their primary corporate suppliers.