Two Howard Business students are one step closer to hotel ownership with a $50,000 prize to their name.

Brooklynn Tucker and Kayden Edwards won the “She Has A Deal” pitch competition using their hotel development plans to wow judges. They entered the contest in the early careerist category.

According to The Dig, the duo’s winning pitch granted them the $50,000 prize. However, the funding comes in the form of equity from the She Has a Deal investment fund. Now, they will also take part in developing projects with a stake in ownership.

The 2026 graduates gained sponsorship through Howard’s Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership. Omari Head, the center’s executive director, aided the students in their pitch development while connecting them with resources and professionals from Synergy Hospitality Group and Paramount Capital Advisors.

Head emphasized how Black people, especially women, have lacked access to the hotel industry. The former hotel owner and consultant broke barriers himself in leading over 300 hotel transactions totaling over $1 billion.

“When you layer gender on top of that, it’s even worse for Black women,” explained Head. “These students now have equity experience in their twenties. By the time they’re in their thirties, they’ll have a decade of exposure and lessons learned. That’s how you build future owners.”

The She Has A Deal competition amplifies women as leaders in the hospitality industry. The organization helps interested women learn more about sourcing deals, developing pitches, and acquiring properties for hotels.

“Black women are not highly represented on the investment side of hospitality,” said Kemi Omisore, the Marriott-Sorenson Center’s senior program manager. “They’re often in operations—front desk managers, event planners, things like that. This competition helps change that narrative by giving access to capital and networks our communities have historically lacked.”

Tucker and Edwards aced their winning pitch by putting branding and market feasibility at the forefront. They chose a boutique hotel development in New Orleans as their selection while researching the property and its location’s viability as a profitable enterprise.

The duo believes their time at Howard has sharpened their leadership abilities and built confidence in their skillset. The college seniors have led multiple organizations at the HBCU.

“My advice to incoming freshmen is simple: Do not wait to get involved,” Edwards said. “Put yourself out there. The people who take chances early gain the most. Freshman year is the perfect time to make mistakes, learn, and grow.”

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