Blending Creativity and Strategy: CABCoFA Student Wins National Social Media Competition
By Chad Eric Smith, Director of Marketing & Communications, Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
When Howard University students walked into the 2025 National Sales Network Student Sales and Marketing Conference in Atlanta, they were stepping into a room that represented opportunity—and competition. Only 17 percent of student applicants nationwide were accepted to attend. Yet among the 204 participants, three stood out not only for their talent, but for the signature poise and polish that mark the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts (CABCoFA).
This year, Fashion Design major Niaa Lawrence earned first place in the conference’s Social Media Competition, rising above a field of students representing top institutions across the country, including the University of Southern California, Florida A&M University, and North Carolina A&T State University. Her achievement marks the second consecutive year that Howard University students from the College of Fine Arts have brought home top honors.
In her own words, Lawrence reflected on the experience via her LinkedIn:
As a fashion design student in a heavily business-focused setting, I was reminded that business is the backbone of every field, including fashion. In just a few days, I learned how to perfect a pitch, optimize my LinkedIn presence, and master interviews that truly drive impact. I’m honored to share that I also placed first in the Social Media Competition, a full-circle moment of blending creativity and strategy.
For Professor Autumn Dawn McDonald, an adjunct faculty member who serves as Howard University’s campus advisor for the program, the recognition reaffirmed the value of cross-disciplinary learning. She noted that CABCoFA students continue to distinguish themselves by merging creativity with professionalism, applying their artistic training in spaces where communication, confidence, and innovation intersect.
Lawrence attended alongside Dillon DeBourg and Alphonso Evans, both Music majors who also participated in the national pitch competition, conference sessions, and career fair. Their professionalism left an impression. “That must be one of the HU performing arts students,” remarked an advisor from another university. “You can tell because those students are so poised and polished when they stand up to speak.”
DeBourg, returning for his second year at the conference, provided valuable mentorship to peers from the College of Fine Arts, the School of Business, and the School of Communications, embodying the spirit of collaboration and leadership that defines Howard’s creative community.
As CABCoFA continues to expand its national footprint, stories like these illustrate how its students are redefining what it means to be both artist and entrepreneur, bringing discipline, imagination, and strategic thinking into every stage and boardroom they enter.
