Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / March 24, 2005, edition 1 / Page 10
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Black execs share wisdom with students BY COURTNEY GAILLARD mEcwowicu Amanda Poinsette, like many college students around the country, is thinking about life after graduation. The Win ston-Salem Slate University senior recently missed class in order to attend a job lair in Greensboro because she real izes that time is of the essence where her career is concerned. Poinsette had the chance to rub elbows with four black executives on Tuesday during the Black Executive Exchange Program (BEEP). The WSSU Office of Career Services, School of Business and Eco nomics and the MBA Club sponsor this three-day career planning workshop, which invites black businessmen and -women into classrooms to meet with students who are on the cusp of entering the real world. Poinsette stayed afterward to ask more questions and just shake hands with the seasoned corporate workers. She wants to make the most of her time between now and when she walks across the stage to receive her diploma. Faced with an unfriendly job market after graduation, she knows that networking is a vital part of getting her foot in the door of a company. "We are a small university, and there's not a great opportu nity for large companies that Phoio by Courtney Gaillard Kelli Franklin- Joy ner (pictured left), Manuel Keita and Jeff Woods spoke to an Organizational Behavior class at W5SU about their experiences in corporate America on Tuesday. we may be inspired lo work for to actually come to our school," said Poinsette. who is a business management major. "(Large companies) are not coming to the Winston area. It's great to have (executives) come into our class setting." Poinsette says she does feel she may be at a slight disad vantage when she graduates from WSSU because of the school's size. Although (he school has seen its student body explode in recent years, it is still relatively small com pared with other state universi ties. She wonders if that will work against her come inter view time. "A lot of times on our resumes they do immediately look at the school that you come from. Two times I've been in an interview with a company and they've asked me why (WSSU) and not another (school). It \fras shocking and surprising at first, but that let me know that maybe there is some disadvantage of being at a smaller university," Poinsette said. Companies are paying close attention to school size, and they are paying attention to how long or short amount of time recent graduates are spending at their first jobs. Just ask Anthony Price, who started working for Veri zon when he graduated from high school. Fast forward 30 years and he is now the vice president of sales for the wire less telephone company in Reston. Va. But Price's tenure with the company is rare by today's standards where many college grads change jobs like coats - moving from company to com pany after just a matter of years. He encouraged the stu dents to find a company where they can lay down professional roots. "A lot of kids take their first job out of school and find out a year or so later that they're not happy with it," said Price. "We in corporate America have to go get some of those bright, young minds in those small schools that ordinarily would n't~t>ave the opportunity. I do think it is a disadvantage com ing from a small school, but that just means you have to work a little harder to find a job." Manuel Keita was rejected from 59 jobs before he was finally hired at UPS 20 years ago. He and Kelli Franklin Joyner, also with UPS, told the students to remember to remain humble and hardwork ing no matter how small or large the job description may be. Keita started out loading packages on UPS trucks, and Franklin-Joyner took a clerical position in the department she was interested in so that she could work her way up the company ladder. Today she is the regional industrial engi neering manager with UPS and Keita is a process engineer with the company. "I have two degrees but I was not able to find a job. The decision had to be made - do I persevere with 60 more appli cations. or do I just get my foot in the door somewhere," said Keita, who is originally from Africa. "You have college degrees but you (can't be) above the work." BEEP brings some of the country's top executives to HBCUs to give students an up close and personal view on the dos and don'ts of surviving corporate America. Jeff Woods believes a pro gram like BEEP is invaluable to college students, particularly at a predominantly black col lege like WSSU. Woods, who is a sales manager with Veri zon, is a first-time BEEP speaker. "I remember being a fresh man in school. 1 didn't have this opportunity. So I can imag ine how it makes them feel to talk with some of the VPs (vice presidents) who were here today and have hope (of start ing their careers)," said Woods. Simpson from page A I "You get [his picture that victims are white and suspects are black," she said. Gordon provided an expla nation for why that may be. He said stories involving white victims, especially white female victims, are more appealing to white edi tors and station mangers. "Laci (Peterson) looks like their daughter... like their wife," he said. "They are going to put that on quicker than (a black woman) getting killed.'* The issue of race was one that hung heavily over the Simpson saga. Darden said the DA's office was on pin_s. and needles over the question of race. "The white prosecutors in this case were all scared as hell about this race issue." he Wickham said. Gascon said there were similar concerns al the Police Department, especially since the LAPD was dealing with its own public relations problem with the black community stemming from the Rodney King case two years earlier. Gascon hinted that Simpson's famous slow-speed chase was allowed to go on because the police did not want to stop the white Ford Bronco and possi bly trigger another King-like incident. "The department was para lyzed initially," he said. Darden and CBS' Whitak er provided some of the most heated moments of the discus sion. Darden said making money is the ultimate goal of the media, not seeking and reporting the truth. "The media is there to sell tickets," Darden said. "CBS wants you to watch them instead of NBC." Whitaker took offense to the statement, saying that Darden w,as painting network news, newspapers, cable news and magazines all with one big brush. "We are not monolithic." he said. Last week's conference was organized by DeWayne Wickham. a USA Today columnist who now heads A&T's Institute for Advanced Journalism Studies. Ed Gordon makes a point. PhuttM by J arson Pitt r We DON'T just provide food for HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. * We provide job training and PLACEMENT SO THEY CAN BUY GROCERIES. Emergency Shelter Educational Services Job Training and Placement! Many homelessJ?Wf>le today have the desire and ability to take care of themselves and their families. They just need some help. O Find out how you can support the programs that are working in our community. Contact Volunteers of America, today. o ^^\blunteers y ofAmerica? There are no limits to caring. ? 1-800-899-0089 www.VolunteersoiAmerica.org
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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