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September 06, 2021

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Bristol Myers Squibb, HBCUs launch biopharma program

The program will increase Black talent recruitment in the biopharma industry

PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Despite representing roughly 12% of the U.S. adult population, in biopharma, Black professionals account for just 7% of the total workforce and 3% of executive teams. Today, in an initiative designed to increase access to and awareness of the biopharma industry among Black talent and build a diverse talent pipeline, Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY) announced its collaboration with five Historically Black Colleges and Universities to launch Tomorrow’s Innovators — a multimillion-dollar strategic alliance to attract top HBCU-affiliated talent to the bio-pharma industry in the next five years.

The HBCUs are Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Howard University, Morgan State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Tomorrow’s Innovators extends the health equity and diversity and inclusion commitments announced by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020, which includes the goal of increasing the diversity of the company’s workforce. By the end of 2022, Bristol Myers Squibb aims to double executive representation of Black and Hispanic/Latino employees in the U.S. and achieve gender parity at the executive level globally.

Designed to reach diverse talent sooner in their undergraduate career, Tomorrow’s Innovators will provide them the support and education needed to reach their career goals within the biopharma industry. Through this alliance, Bristol Myers Squibb and the HBCUs seek to:

• design and host specific career-focused workshops for diverse talent
• develop a two-way exchange program with commercial leaders and faculty members to facilitate knowledge sharing, collaboration and research development opportunities
• create custom biopharma curriculum to further prepare diverse students for internships and career opportunities within the biopharma sector, which is an area of historical underrepresentation.

“At Bristol Myers Squibb, we believe that bringing innovative medicines to patients requires a workforce with diverse experiences, perspectives and personal backgrounds that reflect the diverse patients and communities we serve around the world,” said Chris Boerner, executive vice president, chief commercialization officer at Bristol Myers Squibb. “While there is still more to do in addressing racial and societal equity, programs like Tomorrow’s Innovators provide a critical opportunity to reach diverse talent sooner and cultivate a richer talent pipeline within our industry. When diversity is celebrated and inclusion is intentional, everyone benefits, especially our patients.”

“The Tomorrow’s Innovators strategic alliance presents a meaningful opportunity to build the talent pipeline that will not only address the lack of representation in the biopharma industry, but also equip the industry to meet the challenges of the future,” said Danielle Winchester, associate dean, Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. “It offers another avenue for the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics at North Carolina A&T to develop talented executive leaders who contribute to the global economy.”

“This alliance with Bristol Myers Squibb is a natural area of collaboration for FAMU, given our College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health,” said Larry Robinson, Ph.D. President of Florida A&M University. “We are eager to explore opportunities for faculty research and career development for our students. FAMU and other HBCUs can be a tremendous source of talent for the bio pharma industry when utilized in this manner. This alliance provides a framework for sustained progress.”

For more information on the Tomorrow’s Innovators program, visit https://www.bms.com/tomorrows-innovators.

About Bristol Myers Squibb
Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

About Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, founded on October 3, 1887, began classes with fifteen students and two instructors. Today, FAMU is one of 12 institutions in Florida's State University System and has nearly 10,000 students.

FAMU offers 54 bachelor’s degrees, 29 master’s degrees, 12 doctoral degrees and three professional degrees. The three professional degrees include the J.D., Pharm.D., and the Doctor of Physical Therapy. The 12 doctoral degree programs include 11 doctoral degrees and one Doctor of Public Health. The 11 doctoral programs are: biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, physics, educational leadership, environmental science and entomology. For more information, visit FAMU.edu

About Howard University
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

About Morgan State University
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 120 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.

About North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the nation’s largest historically Black university, as well as its top ranked (Money magazine, Best Colleges). It is a land-grant, doctoral university, classified as “high research” by the Carnegie Foundation and a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System. A&T is known for its leadership in producing graduates in business, engineering, agriculture and other STEM fields. The university was founded in 1891 and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina.

About the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is an 1890 Land-Grant HBCU with a diverse student population, competitive degree offerings and stellar faculty. For more than 140 years, UAPB has worked to create an environment that emphasizes learning, growth and productivity while affording a basic need to its students: a chance to advance. UAPB offers certificate and associate degree programs, more than 40 undergraduate and master’s degree programs and a doctoral program in Aquaculture/Fisheries. Students are active in more than 100 organizations, including an internationally renowned Vesper Choir, Marching Musical Machine of the Mid-South Band, concert bands, wind symphony and an accomplished athletics program.