A 360-degree photo booth, a giant mural and smiling faces greeted hundreds of Texas Southern University students. TSU recently invited Comcast on campus for the latest Xfinity HBCU tour stop. During the exciting event, students experienced the interactive adaptation of The Black Experience Channel. They also learned about Xfinity’s benefits as part of their student fees – namely access to a fast, reliable Internet connection.
“It really means a lot to be able to have access to affordable Internet,” student-athlete Caleb Hall said. “It means we’ll be able to get our homework done in a timely manner, and that keeps us eligible on the field.”
The impact goes beyond the classroom. Students recognize the need for high-speed Internet on and off campus.
“You never know when you’ll be forced to isolate or quarantine, so to have it (reliable Internet) here at school is extremely important,” student Justice Garcia said.
TSU is one of 11 campuses on the tour. The outside exhibit consisted of four distinct halls for students to immerse themselves in Xfinity’s Black Experience. One of those halls included an area to learn about Project UP, a comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity in underserved communities.
Project UP has connected 10 million people to the Internet and has distributed 150,000 free and subsidized laptops to underprivileged communities. Through the Comcast Rise program, 6,700 small businesses have been awarded financial grants, marketing or technology upgrades.
Students also learned about Xfinity’s products, services and how to take advantage of exclusive offers available with a collegiate email address.
Xfinity commissioned HBCU and Florida A&M University alum, Elijah Rutland, to create 11 unique murals that pay homage to each of the 11 HBCU communities included on the tour. TSU students and faculty were invited to leave their mark on the mural by describing how much an HBCU means to their lives.
Following the one day stop, Comcast gifted the mural to TSU.
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