Clark Atlanta University has become the first HBCU to establish a Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers chapter. Scholars can stay current on the latest technologies and trends in motion pictures and television with the SMPTE student chapter at Clark Atlanta. Furthermore, the chapter will facilitate connections with industry professionals by organizing networking events.

The program aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in their careers in the media and entertainment industries. At Clark Atlanta University, the new SMPTE’s student chapter aims to foster learning and collaboration between students, which will help them prepare for success in a competitive industry.

Dr. Brian Bentley, assistant professor and associate dean of arts and sciences at Clark Atlanta, said in an online statement that the program is “setting the standard.” He believes the first-of-its-kind HBCU film program will spread to other HBCUs with film-oriented students, according to Fox 5.

“I’m thrilled to be working with Dr. Michele Wright, an HBCU alum herself as a Tuskegee University grad, and the larger SMPTE team — including President Renard Jenkins, Executive Director David Grindle, and Membership Director Zandra Clark — on dynamic projects to foster student success and professional sustainability,” Dr. Bentley said. “SMPTE is the gold standard for the industry, literally setting the standard with its color bars, time code, and so many others. A SMPTE Student Chapter at CAU will create fantastic possibilities for student and faculty development. In building this relationship with SMPTE and reaching this historic milestone, I believe we’ll also open up opportunities for other HBCUs.”

The partnership with Clark Atlanta was inevitable due to the college’s “stellar group of chapters,” according to Michele Wright, SMPTE’s Director of Business Development and Outreach. Clark Atlanta was founded in 1988 due to the consolidation of Atlanta University and Clark College. Today, the school is a research institute with nearly 4,000 students. It is the largest of the four institutions in the Atlanta University Center Consortium, which includes Clark Atlanta, Morehouse College, Spelman College and Morehouse School of Medicine. Among UNCF’s 37 members, it is also the largest.

“The SMPTE Student Chapter at CAU is a tremendous addition to our stellar group of chapters across the world,” Wright said. “The Society is dedicated to creating pathways into the industry for a diverse workforce, and synergistic collaboration through the launch of SMPTE Student Chapters is an exciting element of that work. We couldn’t have a better partner than CAU in establishing this first SMPTE Student Chapter at an HBCU, and we look forward to further collaborations with HBCUs all over the nation.”