Building a Sports Marketing Career With the Help of UNCF
Jailah Anna Kai Salley is building a future at the intersection of marketing and professional sports. Salley, a student at UNCF-member institution Spelman College, hopes to become a marketing strategist in the NFL.
Through her coursework, Salley is developing an understanding of economic fundamentals and learning how to identify market trends. She is majoring in economics and minoring in photography.
The Goldman Sachs HBCU Market Madness Program, administered by UNCF, also provides Salley with valuable knowledge, connections and financial support. The program expanded her understanding of career paths and introduced her to roles she had not previously considered.
“UNCF assisted me in my educational journey by providing me with opportunities to expand my career exposure and knowledge,” she said.
The Goldman Sachs HBCU Market Madness Program offers meaningful financial relief, allowing Salley to clear her balance for the academic year, reducing financial stress and letting her focus on her education. She expects to graduate in May 2028.
Salley’s connection to Spelman is deeply personal. She is a legacy student—her mother is a member of the Class of 2003.
While her family connection pointed her toward the HBCU, it was the campus community that confirmed the institution was the right fit for her. “What made me realize this institution was for me was the sisterhood the moment you step on campus,” she shared.
Salley values being surrounded by Black women who share her drive to succeed. She appreciates the relationships she has developed with classmates and credits the alumni network with creating powerful opportunities for students to learn from those who came before them.
One of Salley’s favorite Spelman memories is participating in the Morehouse College and Spelman College Sibling Exchange (Morehouse is another UNCF-member institution). The tradition pairs first-year students from Spelman and Morehouse during a ceremony, creating connections between students at the neighboring HBCUs. The experience was especially meaningful because her Morehouse brother has become part of her extended family, developing into a relationship filled with shared memories and inside jokes.
Salley is grateful for the role UNCF has played in her college experience and the opportunities the Goldman Sachs HBCU Market Madness Program opened up for her. “I would just like to extend my gratitude for this program and being able to be a part of it,” she said. “My college journey wouldn’t have been the same without it.”