Spelman Student Featured Among ESSENCE Rising Innovators 

Reese Winston and Fellow HBCU Students Share How Their Education Equips Them to Thrive in Today’s Evolving Job Market

In ESSENCE’s recent Fall/Winter 2025 issue, the magazine highlighted the recent emergence of HBCU alumni and students in markets like fashion, business and STEM markets. Contributor Rachel Ruff spoke with seven HBCU changemakers, including Spelman College student Reese Winston, C’2026, about what it means to pave the way and defy the odds. 

With artificial intelligence and other similar technology on the rise, the availability of entry-level jobs continues to shrink, presenting challenges for incoming and recent graduates transitioning into the job market. In the article, Ruff emphasizes the significance of corporate industry partnerships with HBCUs as a strategy to ensure students are competitive applicants. 

"At Spelman College, [industry partnerships] have shaped seniors like Reese Winston, a computer science major who has already secured a job after graduation,” wrote Ruff.

This past summer, she worked as a technical project-manager intern at Verizon, streamlining systems for engineers. She has also interned at a leading technology platform, Unity, where she created her own virtual reality platform, and at Google as an AI/ML (machine learning) researcher, working to make Gemini more inclusive for speakers of African American Vernacular English (AAVE). She credits Spelman’s small-school culture and the opportunities available on campus for setting her up for success.”  

According to Ruff, Winston’s experience reflects how individual preparation is backed by institutional investment. For many, an HBCU education is both timeless and limitless. From STEM to fashion, HBCU alumni and ­students continue to leave their mark in every field. 

Click here to read the full article.