HBCU News Spotlight:
- Kyrease Desseau captured MLB’s HBCU Swingman Classic, gaining national exposure and publishing nearly 300 images as a Getty Images contributor.
- Kyrease Desseau helped digitize FAMU archives through Getty Images' Photo Archive Grants Program, preserving and licensing visual history worldwide.
- One-on-one mentorship from leaders like Cassandra Illidge and partner Ribu developed his storytelling and business skills.
- Desseau contributes captions, metadata, and photo enhancement, making FAMU imagery accessible and connecting future generations to the university’s legacy.
As a global leader in visual content, Getty Images is creating pathways for emerging photographers to gain access, experience, and exposure through its HBCU Student Photographer Mentorship Program.
Designed to provide hands-on mentorship, industry insight, and career-building opportunities, the program supports aspiring visual professionals from historically Black colleges and universities across the country. Florida A&M University is among the institutions benefiting from the initiative.
The journey of 2024 FAMU School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (FAMU SJGC) graduate Kyrease Desseau through the mentorship program is a shining example of the power of partnerships with companies like Getty Images that believe in tapping into HBCU students’ talent.
Desseau joined the program while enrolled as a graphic design student at FAMU SJGC. As he learned and worked under the guidance of some of Getty Images’ world-class photographers and editorial staff, his talent was quickly recognized and cultivated, leading to opportunities to photograph some of the biggest moments in sports last year. He continues to work with Getty Images and, to date, has published nearly 300 photos as a contributor.
One of the opportunities Desseau received was an assignment to cover Major League Baseball (MLB), which often partners with Getty Images to offer photography mentorship experiences for students. He was one of three emerging HBCU photographers selected to capture last summer’s annual HBCU Swingman Classic, a marquee kickoff event of MLB All-Star Week. His coverage included coaching from both MLB and Getty Images editorial teams.
The event highlighted the history and legacy of HBCU baseball programs. Baseball legends like event founder Ken Griffey Jr., FAMU alumnus Andre Dawson and Rubye Lucas, the widow of Bill Lucas, the first African American general manager in MLB history, were a part of the event. Desseau was front and center, documenting the action and creating images that are now part of national HBCU baseball history.
Desseau and two other Getty Images mentees captured 50 HBCU baseball players during MLB’s 2025 Swingman Classic, showcasing their talent on a national stage.
“The connections made and the insights gained during mentoring sessions empower mentees to navigate the industry with confidence, paving the way for greater representation and success,” Desseau said about his experiences.
As a result of those connections and the hands-on professional development he received, Desseau was invited to additional coverage opportunities. His portfolio now boasts images documenting baseball games between several professional teams.
But the opportunities didn’t stop there.
Equipped with experience covering “America’s favorite pastime” on his resume, in 2025 Desseau was invited to participate in a new project to document history and support the FAMU Communications Office’s vision to preserve and license the university’s rich visual history through digitizing its photography archives as part of Getty Images’ Photo Archive Grants Program for HBCUs.
The content licensing partnership makes FAMU’s contemporary and archival content accessible to a global audience through Getty Images’ platform, which houses the HBCU Collection and includes content from several colleges and universities nationwide.
Working in collaboration with Getty Images and other program partners, Desseau continues to have opportunities to be mentored by industry leaders, including one-on-one work with Getty Images’ production partner, Ribu (formerly known as AdnetGlobal). He’s also working with and learning the business side of the industry from Cassandra Illidge, vice president of global partnerships and executive director of the HBCU Grants Program at Getty Images.
“Kyrease Desseau has played a key role in thoughtfully reviewing and selecting images that reflect the depth and richness of Florida A&M University’s history, making them an integral part of this program,” Illidge said. “His enthusiasm for history and commitment to visual storytelling have proven to be invaluable assets, strengthening efforts to preserve and elevate FAMU’s legacy.”
Desseau receives mentorship from Cassandra Illidge and Matt Flor as part of Getty Images’ HBCU Grants Program in partnership with FAMU’s Communications Office. The effort preserves and licenses the university’s visual history.
Rachel James-Terry, senior director of strategic communications for FAMU, also works closely with Desseau. She said the partnership with Getty Images is about much more than preserving a collection. It’s about ensuring Florida A&M University’s history, achievements, and cultural legacy are accurately documented. And Desseau is now a part of that legacy.
“Kyrease has played a meaningful role in helping us organize and expand our visual archive with care, creativity, and a genuine appreciation for the significance of this work,” she said. “He’s part of a new generation of visual storytellers who recognize that preserving history is just as important as creating it. We are happy to have him on board.”
Desseau said the opportunity to help archive the work of photographers who came before him and to see life through the lens of generations of FAMUans has given him a new appreciation for his craft. He also contributes to captions, metadata, and photo enhancement, work that helps audiences find the cherished and even lost moments that photography helps to memorialize.
“Historical opportunities have always meant the world to me,” he said. “I’ve discovered the stories of many successful individuals who attended Florida A&M University or visited the campus for events.”
Adding this experience to his visual storytelling repertoire has ignited a passion in Desseau for ensuring that future generations can connect with the contributions of the past. He noted that he always wants to ensure people are aware of the significant role past university photographers have played in narrating history through their lenses, even before technology evolved.
“It is inspiring to know that my work is allowing others, including myself, to witness the evolution of the university,” he said.
Desseau added that Getty Images has created a program that has not only opened doors for him but continues to open doors for HBCU students, graduates and emerging Black creators around the country. He is excited about the program’s future and about seeing more visual storytellers like him showcase their talent and develop it with the help of industry experts.
“This initiative not only highlights the pathways available to us but also fosters a sense of community, reminding us that we are not alone on this journey,” Desseau said.
Learn more about Getty Images HBCU programs here.
Click here to view some of FAMU’s archival images that have been digitally restored as well as contemporary event coverage that is now available for licensing on gettyimages.com in the HBCU Collection.
View some of Desseau’s photography on Getty Images here.
Watch his 2025 HBCU Swingman Classic experience with MLB and Getty Images below.
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