ABOUT US

Program Overview

To address the prevalent opportunity and racial wealth gaps in our community, the Thunder Fellows Program – developed by the Oklahoma City Thunder and Creative Arts Agency (CAA) – aims to unlock new opportunities in sports, entertainment, and technology for Black high school and college students in the Tulsa area.

Located in the historic Greenwood District, Thunder Fellows will apply data & analytics curriculum uniquely tailored to industries’ standards to gain proficiency in essential skillsets and hands-on experiences highly sought after by recruiters and talent acquisition teams. The 15-week program will also leverage a strategic pipeline of local & national corporations to provide exclusive access to mentors, professional coaching, and meaningful employment opportunities.







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PROGRAM OVERVIEW



HIGH SCHOOL

Develop comprehensive digital portfolios and develop professional skills
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COLLEGE

Industry exposure through job shadowing and project-based learning
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ALUMNI

“Once a Fellow, Always a Fellow” College & career guidance
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AND MORE

Internships and Certifications
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Key Dates

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    JUNE-JULY

    HS Cohort V Application Deadline:
    Applications for HS Cohort V are due June 8, 2025

    College Cohort IV Application Deadline:
    Applications for College Cohort IV are also due June 8, 2025

    Interviews:
    Interviews for both programs will be conducted June 16-30, 2025

    Acceptance Notifications:
    Notifications for HS Cohort V and College Cohort IV will go out in early July 2025

  • ...

    AUGUST

    Program Start Dates:
    HS Cohort V and College Cohort IV will begin their programs in August 1-2, 2025

  • ...

    SEPTEMBER

    HS Cohort VI Applications Open:
    Applications for HS Cohort VI open in September 2025

  • ...

    NOVEMBER

    HS Cohort V End Date:
    The HS Cohort V program concludes in November 2025

    HS Cohort VI Application Deadline:
    Applications for HS Cohort VI are due in November 2025

  • ...

    DECEMBER

    HS Cohort VI Acceptance Notifications:
    Notifications for HS Cohort VI admissions will be sent in December 2025

  • ...

    JANUARY

    HS Cohort VI Program Start Date:
    The HS Cohort VI program begins in January 2026

  • ...

    APRIL

    Program End Dates:
    Both College Cohort IV and HS Cohort VI programs will conclude in April 2026

Our Team

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Cedric Ikpo

Executive Director, Thunder Fellows
P: 918.922.7091

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Tomika Smith

Education Specialist

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Ricky Graham

Operations Specialist, Thunder Fellows
P: 918.922.7094

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Isaiah Wright

Tulsa Service Year Fellow, Development Coordinator

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David Howard

Shuttle Driver

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Tressa Thomas

Instructor, Communications & College Counseling

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Desmond Wareham

Instructor, Data Science

Meet the 2024-25 Cohort

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Meet the 2024-25 College Cohort III

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Thunder Fellows Advisory Board

The Thunder Fellows Advisory Board helps shape the direction of Thunder Fellows and support its mission through community outreach, programming, strategic planning, and resource development.



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Malachi Blankenship

Innovation to Enterprise (i2E)
Venture Advisor & Director of Business Development

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Brian Byrnes

OKC Thunder
Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing

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DeAnn Cooks

KIPP College Prep
Director, KIPP Forward

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Dr. Tiffany Crutcher

Terence Crutcher Foundation
Founder & Executive Director

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Mike Johnson

Creative Arts Agency
Head of Content & Digital Strategy, Brand Consulting

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Paul Johnson

Bank of Oklahoma
Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking

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Brandon Oldham

George Kaiser Family Foundation
Program Officer

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Sam Presti

OKC Thunder
Executive Vice President & General Manager, Basketball Operations

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Leonelle Thompson

Williams Energy
Supervisor, Early Career Learning & Development

PARTNERS

Oklahoma City Thunder
CAA
Google
Devon Energy
Post Oak Automotive


OUR DONORS

Allstate Foundation
Ascension St. John
George Kaiser Family Foundation
NBA Foundation
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