From FAMU To The Boardroom: Arnika Frazier-Jackson Empowers HBCU Talent Through The Walt Disney UNCF Scholars Program

When Arnika Frazier-Jackson first stepped onto the campus of Florida A&M University, she immediately knew she had found home. Drawn in by a traveling FAMU Connection recruitment fair and inspired by a student leader who spoke passionately about the university’s culture of support, she felt the “Excellence with Caring” motto come alive.

“Home meant that you had somebody who would be there with you once you got there,” said Frazier-Jackson, reminiscing on the experience to OffTheYard. “We help you move in, we check on you throughout the year, and we make sure you always have support.”

As a student, Frazier-Jackson immersed herself in campus life. She sang in the concert choir, participated in student government, and joined the FAMU Connection performing arts group that inspired her to enroll. She describes those years as foundational, where she learned not only how to lead but how to lean on her peers.

“The [FAMU] network is huge because we start building it while we’re on campus,” she said. “The person to your right and your left isn’t your competition. They’re your network.”

That network became the springboard for a career centered on empowering others. Today, Frazier-Jackson serves as the Director of Student Professional Development Programs at the United Negro College Fund, where she leads initiatives that equip HBCU students with the professional tools, hands-on experiences, and corporate connections they need to succeed.

Her work sits at the intersection of education and access. At UNCF, she oversees efforts such as the Panda Cares Scholars Program and the Disney UNCF Scholars Program, both of which help students transition confidently from the classroom to the corporate world.

“The Walt Disney Company is such a great partner because they understand being able to give access and opportunity,” Frazier-Jackson told OffTheYard. “In the beginning, the program was really created to help relieve financial barriers for students attending HBCUs.”

What began as a scholarship initiative has evolved into a comprehensive professional development pipeline.

“We started hearing that students really wanted to be able to get their foot in the door or at least have some type of engagement with leaders within the company,” she explained. “So they started an internship program. And now we’re in that cohort, and I fit in because we actually worked to develop the program as it stands now. I was on that team to cultivate the partnership, build the curriculum, and help the partners understand what the students’ needs and aspirations are.”

Over time, the Disney UNCF Scholars Program has expanded to include a range of disciplines, from marketing and human resources to journalism, producing, and content creation. Through the partnership, HBCU students gain exposure to real corporate environments while contributing to projects that have tangible results.

“Our students got in there and showed up and showed out,” said Frazier-Jackson to OffTheYard. “They weren’t just shadowing an executive or a team. They were working on projects and coming out with some phenomenal things.”

That level of excellence caught the attention of other Disney-owned entities, leading to new partnerships such as the ESPN Rhoden Fellows Program, which highlights HBCU voices in sports journalism, and an initiative with FX that honors the legacy of the late filmmaker John Singleton.

“That program was created to show students what it means to be a screenwriter, how to develop as a producer, and what a director actually does,” said Frazier-Jackson. “Students get a mentor with FX, and now the students selected will be able to go to L.A. in 2026 to the FX sound stage and shadow someone that works there. They’re even building the program based on what the students’ interests are, which I think is phenomenal.”

National Geographic has also joined in, providing opportunities for students to become factual storytellers, bringing real-world narratives to life through film and journalism.

“To be able to go from one internship within the business unit to now expanding to a whole suite of programs really speaks to the understanding of the partner,” she said to OffTheYard. “And their commitment to providing access and opportunity to students attending HBCUs.”

While the scale of her work spans Fortune 500 partnerships and national programs, Frazier-Jackson remains grounded in the lessons she learned at FAMU. She still recalls late nights balancing classes and leadership roles, surrounded by peers who challenged and motivated her. That environment, she says, shaped her approach to mentorship—especially when it comes to the Disney UNCF Scholars Program.

“While it is, yes, about being able to have the education—and I feel like you get the best education at our HBCUs because the expectations are so high—it’s also being able to help them with those soft skills that are needed to exceed and excel now in the workforce,” she said. “Because their competition is no longer their peers. Their competition is folks that have been in industry for 20 or 30 years. And so we want to make sure that we always provide them with something that gets them over and beyond the end of the race.”

That mindset has guided her leadership philosophy: every student deserves not just an opportunity, but the confidence to own it. Under her direction, UNCF’s professional development programs now emphasize both technical skills and what she calls the “intangibles” such as communication, initiative, and resilience.

For Frazier-Jackson, it all comes back to community. Just as FAMU once welcomed her, she is now creating space for a new generation of students to feel seen and supported.

From the slopes of Tallahassee’s seven hills to Hollywood, Arnika Frazier-Jackson’s journey reflects what happens when education, access, and intention intersect—and when HBCU excellence is given a global stage to shine.