Urban One’s ONE Yard Hits Bowie State, Blending Culture, Connection And Entrepreneurship

This week at Bowie State University (BSU), Urban One launched ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience — a two-city tour that students said left them feeling fulfilled and engaged.

The six-hour event drew approximately 400 students, alumni and staff to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center. From live music to interactive activities to free food, students said they appreciated the community the event fostered. 

Beyond the music, food and entertainment, ONE Yard offered a glimpse of how HBCU communities can connect culture with opportunity. Students showcased new businesses, alumni shared financial and professional guidance, and entrepreneurs received feedback from potential mentors. The event provided an intergenerational space where HBCU students could build relationships and gain resources beyond the classroom.

The Bowie State gathering was the first stop on a two-campus tour designed to bring Urban One’s digital ONE Yard platform onto HBCU campuses. The tour concludes Sept. 2 at Clark Atlanta University.

Freshman Tia Webster began classes three days before ONE Yard came to campus. She said the event surpassed her expectations. 

“I love my experience so far. I have made connections already,” said Webster, a broadcast journalism major, about halfway through the event.

The Bowie State Symphony of Soul marching band kicked off the ONE Yard event on Aug. 27.

The event began around noon with a performance from the Symphony of Soul marching band. A crowd gathered outside the center, near three food trucks where registered students could redeem tickets for a free meal and dessert. 

Following welcoming remarks from Bowie State President Aminta Breaux, five entrepreneurs pitched their businesses to panelists and audience members wearing headphones tuned to the presentation. Across the auditorium, yoga participants tuned in to a separate channel, allowing both activities to take place simultaneously.

Teressa Gardner, a 2002 Bowie State graduate, pitched her business, Educate Thru Travel. She said that, before arriving, she had no idea she would be pitching. With little time to prepare, Gardner said, the headphones helped her focus and block out the activity around her. 

Although organizers did not announce a winner or award a prize, the showcase gave participants an opportunity to receive feedback and make professional connections. Gardner exchanged contact information with the panelists, two of whom expressed interest in mentoring her. 

Bowie State alumna Teressa Gardner, who participated in the business-pitch showcase, holds her book Kallie Goes to Boston at her table on “Your University Row” during the ONE Yard event on Aug. 27. Photo by Myla S. Roundy / Bison ONE Newsroom.

“You have an idea and you talk to friends and family and they say, ‘Oh yes, you’re great,’” Gardner said. “It really helps to have someone who doesn’t know you to like your idea and want to invest in you.”

One of the panelists who expressed interest in mentoring Gardner was Sydney J. Harrison, the Prince George’s County Council member representing District 9. 

“It’s important…to understand that with vision, with creativity, and with a dream — all things are possible,” said Harrison. 

Urban One promoted ONE Yard as an opportunity to bring members of the Generation Z together in a physical space that was rooted in HBCU culture and community. The experience also connected participating brands with students through a series of sponsored activities.

Tourron Whitfield, an Urban One marketing manager, oversaw the “Aura Arcade,” a gaming experience created in partnership with the scholastic esports platform PlayVS. Throughout the games, quotes and challenges appeared on screen, offering students tips on how to handle workplace challenges. 

“It’s very important that we give back to our community and reach them in places that we know they’re looking for help and where we know that we can connect with them,” Whitfield said. 

Entrepreneurship was another major focus of the event. Khylil Hunter, a junior information systems major and founder of Shea Excellence, served as a vendor for the first time, selling his made-to-order whipped shea butter. He started the business two weeks ago to provide customers with what he described as a natural and less processed way to moisturize their skin. 

“I’m not a marketing major, but marketing has a lot to do with information systems,” Hunter said. “I use my knowledge and what I like to do…to take your excellence to a new level.”

Student businesses shared “Your University Row” with Bowie State alumni who came to offer resources and professional guidance. Among them was Kimberly Lane, a 1994 graduate who has worked in financial services for more than 20 years. Lane said she attended ONE Yard to provide students with financial-literacy support and to advise young entrepreneurs through one-on-one sessions.

“I want to teach them about money before they start making a lot of money mistakes that [past generations] made,” said Lane. 

Students wait in the auditorium during A Different World trivia contest. Participating students won prizes, including Ray-Ban Meta glasses during the ONE Yard event on Aug. 27.

The remaining activity centered on the auditorium, where guests waiting for Bowie State student and rapper YungManny to deliver the event’s closing performance.

Crystal Taylor, a junior biology major who transferred to the university last semester, said she left the event excited about the start of the school year.

“My expectations were met, and I feel like they can only go up from here,” she said.

Myla S. Roundy is a journalism student at Howard University with an interest in public accountability and solutions-oriented reporting. You can follow her on Instagram @mediabymyla.