Innovation Power Hour introduces Oakwood students to the world of business and entrepreneurship

“You will be the changemakers for the future.”

With those words, students at Oakwood University left academia for the business world through the Alabama Collective’s Innovation Power Hour.

In collaboration with Innovate Alabama, the Alabama Collective hosted the Power Hour in partnership with Oakwood University on Thursday, bringing together students, faculty, alumni, and industry leaders for a dynamic experience focused on entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation.

“Our HBCUs are home to some of the brightest, most creative minds,” said Charisse Stokes, executive director of the Alabama Collective. “Innovation Power Hours give students the tools and exposure to lead in tech, AI, and entrepreneurship.

“It’s about investing in the future workforce of Alabama and beyond.”

Innovation Power Hour is a high-energy, student-centered event designed to expose students to emerging technologies, entrepreneurship pathways, and real-world innovation through interactive programming and executive engagement.

The program equips students with tools, exposure, and inspiration to explore careers in entrepreneurship, STEM, and emerging technologies. 

The collaboration with Oakwood University reinforces a shared commitment to cultivating innovation talent across Huntsville’s higher education ecosystem.

“As president of Oakwood University, I am delighted to welcome The Alabama Collective and all participants of the Innovation Power Hour to our campus,” said Oakwood President Dr. Gina Spivey-Brown. “This exciting initiative represents the very spirit of progress, creativity, and collaboration that drives our mission here at Oakwood.  

“The Power Hour’s focus on technology, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship provides an extraordinary opportunity for our students, faculty, and staff to explore new ideas, deepen their skills, and connect with industry leaders who are shaping the future.”

Thursday’s program featured sessions on “Leveraging AI to launch your business” and an AI hackathon.

Business strategist and admitted AI enthusiast Sabrina Sahib led the first session, leading students through a journey in entrepreneurship – the students came up with business ideas, tested them and then made a pitch in front of the group.

“Do something you’re passionate about,” she told them. “You’ll have ups and downs but when you work on something you’re passionate about, that’s when your strengths come through.”

While being passionate about their idea, students were told, “Be feasible; it’s where the real world meets your business idea.”

Sahib emphasized that AI will be an essential part of business and offered these pointers.

• More is better than less: The more information that is provided about a business idea to AI, the better it is. 
• Context is key: Business roles can be assigned to AI – marketing, social media, legalities, etc.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment: An advantage of AI is its ability to iterate, iterate, iterate. If you don’t like the first result, try another one. 

“These high-energy sessions embody the innovation and forward thinking that are essential to advancing excellence within our university community and among Alabama’s HBCUs and community colleges,” Spivey-Brown said. “We look forward to the inspiration, discovery, and empowerment that will emerge from this experience, and to the ways it will continue to strengthen Oakwood’s role in cultivating the next generation of visionary leaders.”