Rising Senior Selected for Inaugural Motown New Legends Program

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (July 6, 2026) – Phillip Colbert III, a rising senior at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, has been selected as a member of the inaugural Motown New Legends Program cohort, an initiative launched by Universal Music Group to create opportunities for students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to pursue careers in the music industry.

Founded by Dante Smith, senior vice president of marketing and head of Motown Digital, and HBCU graduates Tariq McAllister and Gabriel Brown, this 10-week summer internship program provides professional development, executive mentorship and hands-on experience in Los Angeles across various label divisions, including marketing, artists and repertoire, creative services, and digital strategy.

“Motown has always been committed to discovering and developing talent that shapes culture,” Smith said in a statement. “With New Legends, we’re extending that legacy beyond artists and into the future executives, creatives, marketers and innovators who will help define the next era of the music industry.”

Colbert, a marketing and supply chain management student in the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics, is working as a marketing intern for Capitol Records. He has learned how to develop marketing plans for artists and their new records, create on-site activations, and cultivate artists’ brands. The program culminates with a capstone project that allows interns to apply their knowledge and experience.

“My ultimate goal is to have a career in marketing and entertainment, so this internship provides me with real hands-on experiences with artist planning and marketing projects,” said Colbert, who is the Aggie Voice, a student host who amplifies news, events, and trends on campus, and shares the general culture and brand of North Carolina A&T.

While the internship is expanding Colbert’s professional network and providing valuable experiential learning in the music industry, he hopes more A&T students will pursue the opportunity in the years to come.

“There are so many students that want to get into entertainment but don't have any real commercial ways to get those opportunities for students,” said Colbert. “This is a premier music industry internship program for HBCU students, so my personal goal is to have an Aggie in this cohort every year.”

As the inaugural Motown New Legends Program continues to build a pathway for HBCU talent, Colbert also hopes his experience will inspire other students to pursue careers in the music business and demonstrate the value of investing in diverse voices and perspectives.