The Thurgood Marshall College Fund recently selected 13 students from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to attend the 18th Annual Leadership Institute conference presented by Wells Fargo, according to a news release. This event is one of the largest, most exclusive, talent and development recruiting conferences for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominately Black Institutions.
The UAPB students that attended were: Amera Allison, senior from Detroit, Michigan, majoring in Accounting; Jalisa Brown, senior from Chicago, Illinois, majoring in English; LeKivia Cobb, junior from Pine Bluff, majoring in Biology; Shontiara Johnson, junior from Monticello, majoring in Biology; LeDarrien Ledbetter, junior from Little Rock, majoring in Accounting; Nyla Riley, junior from Pine Bluff, majoring in Business Management; BreAnn Roberson, junior from Cahokia, Ilinois, majoring in Accounting; Prentiss Royston, senior from Chicago, Illinois, majoring in Industrial Technology Management & Applied Engineering; Jaeden Wells, junior from Arlington, TX majoring Business Marketing; and Gabrielle Williams, sophomore from Camden, majoring in Political Science. Denine Ingram, junior from Little Rock, majoring in Business Management; Terynn Riles, senior from Pine Bluff majoring in Regulatory Science; and Shederick White, junior from Greenville, Mississippi, majoring in Agriculture Business, were sponsored by USDA.
The four-day leadership institute is designed to develop the hand-picked scholars’ leadership skills, provide companies access to a talented and diverse student population, and help students make meaningful connections that lead to successful internships, fellowships, and careers at Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.
One of the highlights of the conference was the recruitment fair where Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and graduate program representatives identify top talent and offer jobs, internships and continuing education opportunities. The conference is made up of more than 1,000 attendees including 400 plus HBCU and PBI students and 600-corporate, government, and graduate program partners, speakers and recruiters.
Black Enterprise Magazine served as the 2018 LI media partner highlighting the main focus areas of the conference: financial literacy, personal branding, 21st Century skill development, and leadership. Through a host of plenary sessions and experiences, the students were exposed to critical insights and techniques to help them achieve success in the next phase of their lives as students and future graduates.
“No other organization in the higher education and talent development space provides Corporate America and government entities with such a diverse, high-quality talent pool of HBCU and PBI students in one place,” said Harry L. Williams, TMCF president & CEO. “We appreciate our presenting partner Wells Fargo and all of our recruitment partners who are investing not only in TMCF, but in the future corporate, government and global leaders from the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff.”
As a result of the conference, several students were extended internship and permanent job offers. Amera Allison received a permanent job offer from Caterpillar; LeDarrien Ledbetter received summer internship offers from Georgia Pacific, John Deere, and Caterpillar; Jaeden Wells received internship offers from Walmart, Altria, John Deere, and FedEx; and Prentiss Royston received a permanent job offer from JPMorgan Chase.
Shirley Cherry, Director, and Tracy Knowlton, Assistant Director of Cooperative Education and Internships in the Office of Career Services attended the conference as chaperones.
For more information about TMCF Leadership Institute opportunities at UAPB, stop by the Office of Career Services, Caldwell Hall, Suite 202 or call (870) 575-8461.
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the PK-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.
