How NAHB's HBCU Student Leadership Program Shaped Their Futures
NAHB launched its Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Student Leadership program in 2023 to help cultivate, educate and inspire the next generation of home building professionals. The goal is also to create a more robust, equitable, diverse and inclusive NAHB student chapters community.
Throughout the last two years, NAHB has welcomed 37 HBCU students for a variety of enriching learning and networking opportunities in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas.
A pair of program alumni shared to their peers the impact the program has had on their skillsets, careers and outlooks on the residential construction industry.
At the 2025 Black Builder event at the International Builders' Show, North Carolina A&T State University student Malloy Shamwell shares how the HBCU Leadership program has given her support.
HBCU Leadership Program Is a Support System
Malloy Shamwell, a student at North Carolina A&T State University who will soon begin a summer internship with Clark Construction, spoke to a crowd of more than 110 students, mentors and program sponsors about the impact the program has had on her career.
“Within our departments there’s a lot of push for commercial construction, and not a lot of voice for women, black women or women trying to get into the residential field,” said Shamwell, “so this program has given me a platform and given me an amazing support system.”
After her internship, Shamwell is set to attend the University of Virginia to pursue a master’s degree in commerce with a specialized track in management.
Morgan State University student Brittany Holt speaks to room of 110 students, mentors and sponsors about her journey in construction.
HBCU Leadership Program Helped Provide Vision
Brittany Holt, a student at Morgan State University, gave the second cohort some valuable insight as to how to spend their final weeks in the program.
“I was part of cohort 1,” said Holt, “but when I came in last year, I didn’t have the proper questions because I wasn’t sure of where I wanted to go in construction. This year, I was more focused, my vision was there, and I listened to a lot of developers on the showroom floor.
“NAHB has helped me in a huge portion of my vision so now I know what questions to ask and what I need to do to start my journey as a residential developer.”
After graduation, Holt will begin a full-time job at Holder Construction as a field engineer.
Sponsors:
Latest from NAHBNow
Advocacy
Oct 23, 2026
Trump Issues Executive Order to Lower Housing Costs
President Trump on Oct. 22 signed an executive order to lower single-family and mortgage costs, and the Treasury Department released new institutional investor rules.
Advocacy
Oct 23, 2026
NAHB Commends President Trump’s Executive Order on Housing
NAHB Chairman Bill Owens issued the following statement today regarding President Trump’s housing executive order.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 22, 2026
Share of New Homes with Decks Inches Upward
The share of new homes with decks inched upward, from an all-time low of 17.4% in 2024 to 17.8% in 2025, according to NAHB tabulation of data from the HUD/Census Bureau Survey of Construction (SOC).
Economics
Oct 22, 2026
State-Level Employment Situation: September 2026
State-level employment data for September continued to show a mixed labor market, with job gains and losses split across the county. Although national nonfarm payroll employment increased modestly, year-over-year job growth varied considerably across states
Economics
Oct 21, 2026
Nearly One in Three Construction Workers are Hispanic
Diversifying the construction labor force remains a key priority amid persistent skilled labor shortages. According to NAHB analysis of the 2024 American Community Survey, non-Hispanic White workers account for the majority of the construction industry at 55.8%. Hispanic workers now represent nearly one-third of the labor force at 32.8%, followed by non-Hispanic Black workers at 5% and non-Hispanic Asian workers at 1.8 %.