Courtesy of Norfolk State Athletic Communications
NORFOLK, Va. – Recent Norfolk State University graduate and former Spartan volleyball player Jessica Radford will be featured this Saturday as part of "HBCU Day" on The Undefeated, ESPN's content platform exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture.
HBCU Day celebrates the Class of 2020 graduates at historically black colleges and universities. Utilizing the hashtag #UndefeatedHBCUDay, the virtual celebration will feature a collection of videos and written content shared all day across The Undefeated's social accounts (Twitter, Instagram and Facebook) and curated on www.TheUndefeated.com.
Radford will be one of more than 20 student ambassadors – nominated by their respective schools – who will share inspirational and encouraging messages to their fellow graduates. Their messages will be shared across The Undefeated platforms on Saturday.
Other prominent Americans who will deliver congratulatory and inspirational messages to this year's HBCU graduates include former President Barack Obama, Grammy Award-winning artist Toni Braxton, actor Omar Epps, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith and more.
Radford was a four-year letterwinner for the Spartans. She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in mass communications this month.
"We are proud to present 'HBCU Day,' a celebration of the next generation of leaders who have been educated by our Historically Black Colleges and Universities," Kevin Merida, ESPN Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of The Undefeated, said. "The day is a reminder of the brilliance and potential of the 2020 graduating class, and of the role HBCUs continue to play in the development of this country."
About The Undefeated
The Undefeated is ESPN's multiplatform content initiative exploring the intersections of sports, race and culture. The digital hub, TheUndefeated.com, which launched in May 2016, combines innovative long-form and short-form storytelling, investigation, original reporting and provocative commentary to enlighten and entertain African-Americans, as well as sports fans seeking a deeper understanding of black athletes, culture and related issues.
In addition to its cutting-edge content, The Undefeated seeks to be a thought-leader on race, sports and culture in the country – convening insightful forums to discuss and debate topical issues affecting sports and race in America.