Summer of Creativity: Supporting the Next Generation

The future belongs to those who can create. We’re committed to building that future for all.

Adobe’s 2019 Seattle Girls Who Code summer immersion class.

With emerging technologies changing work, play and life as we know it, it’s critical for us all to prepare—especially our students. Our EVP & CHRO Donna Morris highlights creative problem-solving as one of the top attributes of those who are ready for the future of work. We surveyed 2,000 educators and policy-makers, and 86% said those with creative problem-solving skills will have opportunities for higher-earning jobs. Creative literacy will be a key skill in the future, and that’s why we believe art, creativity and technology must be central in education. And even more importantly, we believe all students should have access to these opportunities, regardless of their background or circumstances. We’re working with several partners to make the development of these digital and creative skills a reality, this summer and beyond.

Technology and design camps

This summer, we’re working with Girls Who Code, iDTech, and Cooper Hewitt—three organizations that provide immersive camps to introduce students to technology and creativity. During our Girls Who Code program, high school girls are learning the basics of computer science, but they’re also learning to combine their coding skills with creativity to develop projects that reflect their unique personalities and perspectives. Through mentorship and hands-on activities, the girls learn that they not only can have a place within tech, but that they can thrive in the industry and can use technology to solve challenging problems in their communities. This is our seventh year partnering with Girls Who Code, and we’ve now impacted 400 high school girls through the program.

iDTech is another partner that provides summer camps globally, with programs that allow students to explore cutting edge technology in coding, video production, game development and more. This year, Adobe is sponsoring 200 iDTech scholarships for local Bay Area students who wouldn’t otherwise have had the opportunity to attend the camp for financial reasons. These students are spending 1-2 weeks exploring their creativity, learning real-world skills, and using Adobe tools

In addition, at Cooper Hewitt Design Camp, students who are designers, tinkerers and creative thinkers are learning about the latest advances in design, tackling real-life design challenges presented by guest designers, and receiving access to the Smithsonian Design Museum. Adobe is proud to be the project partner for three Design Camps this summer for students ages 6 to 18.

These programs are more than just summer camps. They open doors for students from all backgrounds to explore new fields they may not have access to otherwise, whether that’s due to a lack of exposure or a lack of financial means. Our goal is to open up new realms of possibility for these students, and grow the future pipeline of diverse candidates who will be inspired to pursue careers in tech.

Fellowships and scholarships

Though camps provide unique learning experiences for younger students, it’s important we continue to nurture creativity and inspire curiosity throughout the educational journey. We do this through a variety of scholarships and fellowships that support advanced training and help students launch and accelerate their careers. A few initiatives that are in full swing this summer include our GEM Fellowship program, the Sundance Ignite Fellowship, and scholarships we’ll be providing for high school students to attend the online filmmakers workshop with NYU’s Tisch School of Arts High School Summer Program.

We’ve partnered with the National GEM Consortium since 2012 to support GEM fellowships for graduate students from underrepresented communities who are pursuing education in STEM fields. As a corporate GEM sponsor, Adobe supports up to 10 new GEM fellows each year, as well as continuing fellows who are completing their degrees. This summer, 13 fellows are working as Adobe interns, and some of our former fellows have even gone on to full-time roles at Adobe.

For young filmmakers, we sponsor the Sundance Ignite Fellowship—a competitive program supporting emerging filmmakers with a year of mentorship and development opportunities. Established in 2015 with founding support from Adobe, the program has helped fellows launch their careers and tell their powerful stories, with four alumni debuting projects at the Sundance Film Festival this year alone. And just a few weeks ago, our 2019 fellows gathered in Los Angeles at the Sundance Ignite Summer Convening for four days of workshops, mentorship and networking.

The NYU Tisch School of Arts Summer High School Program recently launched a brand new opportunity for young filmmakers with their online filmmaking workshop. We are proud to be the first to sponsor high school students to attend the online workshop, giving ambitious, curious, young filmmakers the chance to experience this new course through a scholarship opportunity.

Creativity for all

Whether it’s the introduction to tech through a local summer immersion program or an internationally-renowned filmmaking fellowship, we are proud to play a role in preparing young people for the future by nurturing creativity and supporting creators. Ultimately, we hope these initiatives will enable today’s youth to create their stories, express themselves and gain valuable skills that are in high demand in our dynamically changing workforce.

Learn more about our education initiatives, including the Adobe Creativity Scholarships, the Adobe Research Women-in-Technology Scholarship, the Adobe Digital Academy and more.