UAPB Students Secure Leadership Skills and Career Opportunities at Leadership Institute in Washington D.C.

UAPB students attended the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s (TMCF) 23rd Annual Leadership Institute (LI) in Washington, D.C., during the Fall 2023 semester, where they attended a career fair and had individual interviews with companies. Six UAPB scholars secured summer internship offers. The LI provides companies with access to a diverse and talented student population, and the four-day conference allows students to build leadership skills and connections that lead to successful careers in the global workforce.

Mrs. Shirley Cherry, UAPB Office of Career Services Director, said, “After attending LI, six UAPB students immediately secured summer 2024 internship offers with Caterpillar, John Deere, Land O’ Lakes, Medtronic, and Wendy’s, and another student received a $2500 scholarship. In addition, one UAPB Senior received a post-May 2024 graduation offer to start full-time with Wells Fargo.”

According to the LI website, the Institute includes students from the 45 publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs). In addition to providing professional networking opportunities, the LI experience is designed to enhance student leadership skills and foster a community of scholars.

Tracy Knowlton, UAPB Assistant Director for Cooperative Education and Internships, and Tonia Crumpton, UAPB Education Counselor, joined the UAPB Students pictured below at the Leadership Institute.

Pictured in Row 1: (left to right) Re’Nyah Vincent, Genesis Jackson, and Jasmin Preston are all biology majors planning a May 2024 graduation. Chloe Brackens ’25, mathematics major, received a $2500 Scholarship and an internship offer for Summer 2024 from John Deere. Delashay Lawrence ’24 is a business administration/international business major. Emoni Williams ’26 is an industrial technology management & applied engineering major and received an internship offer for the Summer of 2024 from Land O’ Lake. Charlese Colen ’25, a plant and soil science major, and Shelby Vaughn, a business administration/marketing major, planning a May 2024 graduation.

Pictured in Row 2: (left to right) Perry Williams ’25, a computer science major, received internship offers for Summer 2024 from Wendy’s and John Deere. Braelyn Starks, an industrial technology management & applied engineering major, received an internship offer for Summer 2024 from Caterpillar.  Coby Pittman ’25, an industrial technology management & applied engineering major; L’Kenna Whitehead ’24, a computer science major; Jaylan Lawson ’24, an industrial technology management & applied engineering major, received a full-time offer with Wells Fargo. Jerry Sands, III, ’26, industrial technology management & applied engineering major, and Taylor Brooks, ’26, a computer science major, received an internship offer from Medtronic.  

Pictured in Row 3: (left to right) Wisdom Ariagbofo ’26, a computer science major; Daniel Overton, ’25industrial technology management & applied engineering; Thurman Shaw, ’25 industrial technology management & applied engineering, received an internship offer for Summer 2024 from Caterpillar; Kyron Parris, a biology major planning a December 2023 graduating, and Li Su ’24, a business administration/marketing. Trenton Harris ’25, industrial technology management & applied engineering major, is not pictured.