Cliiimb Portal

Cliiimb News

January 14, 2022

Propel Center is new HBCU technology, learning hub

The Propel Center, the global HBCU technology and learning hub intended to level the playing field and open greater doors of opportunity for their students, recently announced the naming of respected social entrepreneur and education advocate Gene Wade as CEO.

Wade most recently served as founder and CEO of Honors Pathway in Oakland, California, a social venture that enabled low-income students to attend their first year of college at no cost while receiving over 500 hours of in-person coaching and mentoring. He also serves on several non-profit boards, including the Pahara Institute, Portal Schools and Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area, ideal foundations for his new role with Propel Center.

Over his 25-year career, Wade also co-founded and led several entrepreneurial social ventures, including UniversityNow, which developed a self-paced online learning management system designed to lower the cost of higher education that was acquired and is currently serving hundreds of thousands of online students; Platform Learning, which developed a network of free after school tutoring programs that served over 50,000 students; and Learn Now, the first national network of public charter schools founded and led by African Americans.

Before cementing his name as one of the nation's foremost education entrepreneurs, Wade worked as a corporate attorney. He is the holder of an M.B.A. degree from The Wharton School, a J.D. from Harvard Law School and earned his B.A. degree from Morehouse College.

Apple and Southern Company have each stepped forward to support the project as founding partners, providing experts and critical programming, and investing a total of $50 million towards the $100 million goal for the development and launch of Propel. "The Propel Center requires a strong and savvy leader that is not afraid to be an innovative disruptor," said Chris Womack, president and CEO of Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company. "Gene Wade has the experience and vision Propel needs to create ground-breaking opportunities that will make a difference for HBCUs and their students."