Volkswagen And Morgan State University Celebrate First Year Of The Driving Force Internship Program

Volkswagen Group of America is proud to announce the expansion of The Driving Force internship program to the Volkswagen brand at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. This unique internship program was first formulated in 2020 by the Black Automotive Media Group (BAMG) to expose students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to career opportunities within the automobile industry.The Driving Force (TDF) is a 10-week internship that provides training and mentoring sessions to educate students on various career opportunities within the automotive industry. These opportunities include marketing, multimedia, PR, content creation, and publishing. The program is a collaboration between Volkswagen and BAMG, with Vicki Miles, Diversity and Inclusion Senior Consultant, and Kendra Patterson, Fleet Ordering & Delivery Senior Specialist and president of the African and African American Employee Resource Group, serving as liaisons between the two organizations.This year, Volkswagen Brand has sponsored the program for the first time, introducing it to students at Morgan State University. The inaugural class at Morgan State consisted of 18 students, with over 70 percent of them being female. Under the Audi brand, Volkswagen Group has been offering a TDF program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University since 2020.Andrew Savvas, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Volkswagen North American Region, emphasized the importance of diversity in business and its contribution to the success of organizations. He stated, "Business can play a significant role in helping promote diversity and developing diverse leaders who future generations can relate and aspire to."The TDF internship provides students with valuable experience and exposure to the automotive industry. It offers them access to industry leaders and professionals who can provide insight, guidance, and mentorship. Additionally, the program helps automotive brands like Volkswagen build diverse talent pipelines while helping students develop important skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.Jackie Jones, Dean and Professor of Journalism at Morgan State's School of Global Journalism & Communication, expressed her satisfaction with the partnership between Volkswagen, BAMG, and Morgan State. She praised the program for raising the journalistic bar and creating communication opportunities within the auto industry. Jones stated, "I couldn't be more delighted with this partnership."Throughout the internship, Volkswagen Brand and Group leaders held weekly virtual sessions with Morgan State students. These sessions allowed students to directly connect with guest speakers who shared their expertise and discussed the skills required in their respective roles. The interactive nature of these sessions provided valuable insight and information to the students.The program concluded with a panel discussion featuring Cameron Batten, Chief Communications Officer, Volkswagen Group of America, along with Dean Jackie Jones. This discussion provided an opportunity for students in the School of Journalism and Global Communications to engage with industry professionals and gain further knowledge about the field.Kimatni D. Rawlins, BAMG founder and publisher of Automotive Rhythms Communications, highlighted the importance of preparing HBCU students for career development in light of the rapidly changing demographic profile in the United States. Rawlins stated, "Through TDF's internship, we are helping prepare HBCU students for career development while supporting automakers."Volkswagen wishes all the best for the inaugural TDF participants and the entire 2024 Morgan State University graduating class.About Volkswagen:Volkswagen of America, Inc. is an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America, which is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Volkswagen of America sells various vehicles through independent U.S. dealers. The company operates an assembly facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, producing Volkswagen brand vehicles. The global Volkswagen Group is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker.About the Black Automotive Media Group:The Black Automotive Media Group (BAMG) is a distinguished group of African-American publishers, writers, editors, media talent, and entrepreneurs with extensive experience in the automotive industry. BAMG members work for or own various automotive media platforms targeting diverse audiences. The group's core objective is to level the playing field and foster opportunities for Black professionals in the automotive industry.