Historically Black colleges and universities’ (HBCU) students and alumni, as well as influencers and sports business professionals came together to network and discuss name, image and likeness (NIL) education.
B.E. Collective+, a solutions provider that helps HBCUs navigate NIL, hosted HBCU House for a panel on Sept. 19 called Legacy and Leadership, where panelists explored the relationship between HBCUs and NIL.
Marissa Steele, a former Howard University basketball player, shared her experience navigating opportunities at Howard and voiced her grievances about the process, saying she wished Howard administration would have learned more about NIL to better support their student-athletes.
In 2021, the NCAA changed its stance on student-athletes profiting off their name, image and likeness (NIL) without losing their eligibility. Since then, NIL continues to be an ongoing topic of discussion in collegiate sports due to its impact.
However, some say this conversation is different at HBCUs compared to predominantly white institutions (PWIs). According to BET, this disparity is primarily due to the resource gap between these schools. PWIs often have more visibility and larger budgets with greater access to expertise in financial management.
Zay Swilley, a senior on the men’s swimming and diving team, feels that this disparity is because the administration is simply not doing enough.
“I would say Howard does very little, if anything at all, to prepare and educate athletes in how to pursue NIL deals or build their personal brands,” said Swilley, a health science major.
Last season, the team won the 2025 Northeast Conference (NEC) championship title with Swilley earning NEC most outstanding diver.
“My experience with the NIL deals has actually been very limited,” said Swilley, a senior health science major. “I know what it is but there’s never been a formal meeting discussing what it is really. My only experience with NIL has been the NIL Club.”
“I think this is because it’s (NIL) a newer thing, so maybe they’re still adjusting,” Swilley continued, “but it would be nice to see from Howard a session athletes have to attend or even an email with NIL opportunities and people we can contact.”
The Hilltop reached out to Kery Davis, vice president of athletics for comment about the grievances some athletes expressed.
“Howard Athletics has a strategic partnership with Opendorse,” said Davis. “This collaboration allows student-athletes to gain access to industry-leading tools, resources, and education to build their personal brands, engage with sponsors, and create sustainable value while upholding sound professional and compliance standard.”
In addition to Opendorse, the leading platform in the NIL space, the university also has a partnership with NIL club, which is a platform that allows student-athletes to earn revenue from their NIL rights.
Zenai Jethroe is a transfer redshirt sophomore on the Howard volleyball team, who is already making an impact in her new conference, winning MEAC defensive player of the week. Jethroe is also a part of NIL club and has been trying to build her brand through social media to obtain opportunities, but has experienced difficulties.
“Considering there’s a lot of people on our team that are trying to be influencers on social media, you would think there would be more attention drawn to that or at least help to get some NIL money,” said Jethroe, a health science major.
While some athletes feel that more structured guidance could be helpful, not all Howard athletes have these same grievances. Bryce Harris, a graduate student on the men’s basketball team, thinks Howard Athletics is doing a great job with NIL.
“I feel like my coaching staff and the basketball program have done a great job to extensively make sure that their players are properly compensated for the things that they do,” said Harris. “I feel like Howard definitely educates and prepares its students for NIL deals in building a personal brand.”
On top of NIL, Howard has opted into the recent House v. NCAA settlement. This makes NIL education more crucial because without proper guidance, students risk missing out on opportunities or failing to fully understand their rights as a student-athlete. This panel, along with the athlete’s testimonies, highlights the importance of this education, especially for HBCUs.
Copy edited by Daryl R. Thomas Jr.
