Tag Archives: Career Development Center

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TSU 2020 graduates optimistic about job market, despite difficulties posed by coronavirus pandemic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the job outlook for college graduates might seem a bit disheartening because of the financial hardship businesses are enduring, but many Tennessee State University students say they are optimistic about their future because of how TSU has prepared them.

Damyr Moore, the outgoing Mister TSU, received his degree in mass communications and integrated marketing. (Submitted Photo)

Lawrence Tommy Evans graduated in May with a degree in criminal justice. He has completed required background checks and physicals with the FBI and another with the Davidson County Police Academy, where he is seeking employment.

“My chances look good and I am keeping my hopes up,” says Evans, of Belleville, Illinois. “In criminal justice, there is always a process which I am going through, such as the background check. But beyond that, I know I am prepared after going through a very rigorous program during my four years at TSU.”

Like Evans, fellow May graduate Damyr Moore, who earned a degree in mass communications and integrated marketing, says while he has not landed a job, he is making the necessary connections and believes “something will come up soon.”

Lawrence Tommy Evans received his degree in criminal justice in May. (Submitted Photo)

“With everything going on right now, I am just trying to stay focused and prepared,” says Moore, of Atlanta, who is the outgoing Mister TSU. He is looking for employment in marketing, public relations, web design, or graphic design.

“That’s one thing TSU taught me – how to be prepared for anything in the future,” adds Moore. “I am looking for anything that allows me to be creative in ways that help to further the vision of the company through bringing in fresh ideas.”

Reports show that the Class of 2020 has a particularly difficult time ahead in navigating the tough job market, made more uncertain with the outbreak. The overall unemployment rate was 11 percent in June — that number jumps to 19.8 percent for those age 20-24, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, employment and career experts say adequate preparation is always the best tool to help get a job.

Antoinette Hargrove Duke, the associate director of the Career Development Center at TSU, says in addition to helping students prepare for the job market, such as through interview coaching, internship search, and career assessments, the center uses different platforms to keep students and companies connected.

“We work with many companies and franchisees throughout the year to prepare our students through internships, co-ops, and employment opportunities,” says Duke. “We are committed to our students and will continue to prepare them for working in any corporation.”

In the last year, Duke says the Career Development Center has worked with major local and national entities, such as Lockheed Martin, the Predators, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Braves, Innophos, Inc., The General, Nashville Soccer Club, Bank of America, and Deloitte, among many others.

Abdul Alsafri, also a May graduate, says the extra nudging from the Career Development Center has been very encouraging and helpful in his job search.

“My classroom work prepared me for the job, but the Career Development Center gave me the tools I need in looking for a job and how to make myself attractive to employers,” says Alsafri, of Saudi Arabia, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and information systems.

“The center gave me so many resources and links on career building. They gave me hope and I am very grateful.”

On Saturday, August 1, Evans, Moore and Alsafri were among more than 700 spring graduates honored with a 2020 Virtual Commencement.

The University is set to reopen on August 17 under a comprehensive plan that officials say will provide additional COVID-19 safety protocols to protect the health and safety of the campus community.

To learn more about TSU’s campus operation plans for fall reopening, visit www.tnstate.edu/return.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a  premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees.  TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee.  With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students  with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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TSU’s 2020 Spring Internship Fair Gives Students Hope for Future Job, Employment Opportunities

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – TSU students looking for internship opportunities recently got a major break when representatives from more than 40 companies came on campus for the 2020 Spring Internship Fair.

William Corneh, left, a second-year business marketing major, talks to representatives of Provider Trust about internship opportunity with the company during the summer. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

Nearly 400 students from different disciplines, with resumes in hand and dressed for business, attended the fair in Kean Hall on Feb. 18, where the companies set up tents, tables and displays. The fair was organized by the TSU Career Development Center in the Division of Student Affairs.

William Corneh and KeAnna Dakwa were among the first students at the fair, stopping at tables to hear what company representatives are looking for.

“I am here hopefully trying to get my first internship,” said Corneh, a second-year business major from Atlanta, who was shaking hands with representatives of The General Insurance Company. “This is my first effort trying to land a job. I am looking for an internship in an area of business marketing and the prospects look very good.”

TSU President Glenda Glover, right, talks to Katrina Kerr, a TSU alum and recruiter for Insight. Kerr is a 1994 graduate of TSU with a master’s degree in business administration. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

For Dakwa, who had a long discussion at the Lockheed Martin table, the chance for an internship also looks promising, said the sophomore civil engineering major from Huntsville, Alabama.

“I am here looking for internships in project management, civil engineering and anything that has to do with urban planning and logistics,” said Dakwa, who interned with American Electric Power last year. “I have been talking to Lockheed Martin and other design and engineering companies to see what they have to offer, and things look very promising.”

Unlike the career and employment fairs the university’s Career Development Center hosts during the year for various employment opportunities, this fair, which is held once a year, is dedicated solely to internships.

Moses Harris IV, left, a consultant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, greets TSU students at the internship fair. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

TSU President Glenda Glover, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Frank Stevenson, and a host of university officials, faculty and staff, stopped by the various booths to talk with company representatives in support of the students.

All of the representatives, including the fair’s major sponsors – Nashville Predators, The General Insurance Company, Altria, and LG&E – said they were impressed with the TSU students’ presentations, outlook and approach, and that they had a very good grasp of what they were looking for.

“TSU students are very professional, very friendly. You can tell they come prepared,” said Cheryl Mabry-Shirey, HR generalist with The General Insurance Company.

She said her company is looking to recruit interns for paid positions at $20 an hour in marketing, claims and IT.

Antoinette Hargrove Duke, Associate Director of the TSU Career Development Center, (middle in TSU blue), greets representatives of the major sponsors of the 2020 Spring Internship Fair. From left, are: Lindsey Nelson, Nashville Predators; Cheryl Mabry-Shirey, The General Insurance Company; Duke; Brooke Hartlage, LG&E; and Tyler Ridley, Altria. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)

“We have talked to several students who we already know are perfect fits for our company,” said Mabry-Shirey. 

Lindsey Rosen, talent acquisition specialist at Provider Trust, a healthcare compliance-based company, said her firm is also looking for people to fill internship and employment positions in marketing and sales.

“We pride ourselves on bringing in top talents,” Rosen said. “We are looking for creative and motivated people who want the opportunity to learn from our company.”

Antoinette Duke is the associate director of TSU’s Career Development Center. She said she is excited about the “overwhelming” turnout and support of the internship fair. She credits the various departments and volunteers with the success of the fair.

“These companies have shared with us that they actually have open positions to get students in for the summer,” Duke said. “Hopefully, when they leave today they will get those interviews to secure those internship positions. This really gives our students the opportunity to interact with the employers. We also want employers to use this valuable opportunity to connect with some of the brightest students. We thank our volunteers for their dedication and commitment to helping our students succeed.”

For more information on the TSU Career Development Center, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/careers/

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a  premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees.  TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee.  With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students  with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Career Fair Opens Doors to Internships, Employment for TSU Students

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University students looking for internships, full-time employment and co-op opportunities got a major break on Oct. 2. More than 100 companies and potential employers converged on the main campus for the 2019 Fall Career Fair.

TSU student Shaun Anderson, a business administration major, right, talks to Dell representatives at the Career Fair. In the photo are, from left, Bonnie McKissack, Senior Sales Leader; Tiffany C. Perry, Inside Global Sales Manager (TSU alum); Shaheed Whitfield, Recruiter (TSU alum); Elizabeth Casey, Recruiter; and Shelton Cammon, Recruiter. (Photo by Erynne Davis, TSU Media Relations)

Representatives from government agencies, aerospace, engineering, healthcare and the entertainment industries set up tents, tables and displays in the Gentry Center Complex to network with students about career and potential employment opportunities.

Many have scheduled follow-up interviews with students on the TSU campus.

Officials said nearly 500 students attended the all-day fair, organized by the TSU Career Development Center in the Division of Student Affairs.

Micaih Mayfield, a junior mechanical engineering major, and Oluwatosin Fagbuyi, a graduate student, also in electrical engineering, were among those looking for career opportunities. Mayfield was looking to land an internship, while Fagbuyi, who graduates in May, was looking for a co-op or full-time employment.

Micaiah Mayfield, a junior mechanical engineering major, talks to representative of BWX Technologies. She said she received many positive responses from companies. (Photo by Erynne Davis, TSU Media Relations)

“Everything looks very promising,” said Mayfield, of Nashville, who made several stops, leaving her resume at each point. “A lot of people asked for my resume, they looked over it and asked a lot of questions about my career goals.”

For Fagbuyi, who was very optimistic about landing an opportunity, he said going after companies this early before his May graduation was a good effort.

“I count myself lucky to be able to get this opportunity to attend a career fair,” said Fagbuyi, who received an internship in his undergraduate years as a result of the career fair. “From what I have seen today, I will absolutely get something from it, thanks to the TSU Career Development Center for preparing us.”

Frank Stevenson, associate vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, said the goal of the fair was to “share some of our amazing students” with these companies and the world.

“We are really excited about these corporations and companies that are here to meet students that TSU produces,” said Stevenson. “It is nice to see them so excited about interacting with our students.”

Major sponsors included General Electric, Altria, LG&E and KU Energy, Humana, Innophos, Inc., and Dell, which was to meet the next day with seven students who received on-the-spot preliminary interviews at the fair. Regions Bank is a standard sponsor. Like many of the other sponsors, hiring TSU students is not new for Dell. At the tech giant’s table during the fair, two of the company representatives and recruiters were TSU graduates, who got their start from the career fair.

Alexander Sellers, Systems Engineering Manager at Boeing, right, who earned two degrees at TSU, received his start from the career fair. He returned as a recruiter and to mentor his young protégés. (Photo by Erynne Davis, TSU Media Relations)

Tiffany C. Perry, inside global sales manager for North America at Dell, earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from TSU. She said coming back to her alma mater to recruit is just one way of trying to give back.

“It’s been an awesome day for me,” said Perry. “I am thankful for this opportunity. I am even happier to know that the candidates that came to our table were just incredible, they were prepared and represented TSU well.”

Alexander Sellers, systems engineering manager at Boeing, was one of those representing his company at the fair. He talked about the preparation he received, the importance of the career fair and the excitement to be back on the TSU campus, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the College of Engineering.

Antoinette Duke, Associate Director of the TSU Career Development Center, left, presents a plaque to representatives of GE in appreciation of their support as major sponsor of the career fair. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)

“The career fair is integral for any student’s progression,” said Sellers, who was first hired by Lockheed Martin as a result of the career fair. “TSU is going to provide you the foundation of think, work, serve, and your classwork. But you have to get connected, and this is what that is all about.”

Antoinette Hargrove Duke, associate director of the Career Development Center, said the fair is an opportunity to properly “position our students.”

“We have spent most of the year preparing our students, getting them job ready,” Duke said. “So, at this career fair, it is our opportunity to partner the two (students and companies) together in hopes that we can increase our chances of making sure when our students graduate that they land employment that’s going to match the education that they have received.”

Duke was also glad to see former students and alumni of the career center who return as mentors and recruiters to help their younger protégés prepare for the real world.

“It is just nice to see them giving back to their institution,” she said.

Duke presented each of the major sponsors with a plaque in appreciation of their support to TSU and the Career Development Center.

For more information on the TSU Career Development Center, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/careers/

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a  premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees.  TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee.  With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students  with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Graduates look forward to workforce thanks to TSU preparation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – A number of graduates in Tennessee State University’s spring commencement will go right into the workforce once they get their degrees. And they have TSU to thank.

“Tennessee State University has definitely prepared me professionally,” says T’Anna Williams, a computer science major headed to Northrop Grumman. “It’s really awesome having a job lined up after I graduate. That’s one less stress.”

More than 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students will receive degrees in various disciplines in this year’s dual graduation ceremonies.

The graduate commencement ceremony is Friday, May 3, at 5 p.m. in the Howard C. Gentry Complex, where Civil Rights leader Al Sharpton will give the keynote address. The undergraduate ceremony will take place the following day in Hale Stadium at 8 a.m. Bestselling author Dr. Michael E. Dyson is the speaker.

Williams says part of her success is due to the nurturing attitude of the administration and faculty at TSU. The Nashville native says they’re always looking for ways to help students grow, like bringing in dynamic, motivational speakers like Sharpton and Dyson.

“If you’re willing to learn and put in the effort, they’re willing to help,” says Williams of TSU’s faculty.

Graduating senior Alexis Clark agrees. The mass communications major from writes for the student newspaper, The Meter. She credits her experience at the newspaper with preparing her for an internship at The Tennessean, one of the state’s top newspapers, when she graduates.

“It was probably the best experience I had at TSU,” says the St. Louis native. “The networking and the connections I’ve made through The Meter have brought me to what I’m doing today. “

Most of the students who have jobs lined up say the university’s Career Development Center helped them find employment, and prepped them for it.

“The Career Development Center serves as the bridge between education and employment for the students,” says Charles Jennings, Jr., director of the Center/Division of Student Affairs. “We provide services and programs that allow students to apply the knowledge that they gained in the classroom toward meaningful internship and employment opportunities.”

Jennings says the Center also has onsite conferences that let students interact with the university’s employer partners, like Bank of America, Boeing, Google and IBM.

Electrical engineering major Tarence Rice of Detroit says it’s partly because of opportunities at the Center that he has job offers from Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Texas Instruments.

“They helped me get in contact with employers, and get the exposure to build me up to be able to interview for some of these top companies,” says Rice.

Because of the preparation it provides students, TSU officials say the university is poised to produce strong candidates for Amazon’s new executive operations center, which is expected to bring about 5,000 jobs to the Nashville area.

“As the only public university in Nashville, Tennessee State University stands uniquely poised to support these corporate giants, their employees, family members of the employees, and the businesses that support them with highly-skilled human capital, workforce training opportunities, research partnerships and more,” says TSU economics professor Dr. Achintya Ray.

For more information about TSU’s Career Development Center, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/careers/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a  premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees.  TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee.  With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students  with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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2018 Fall Career Fair Opens Doors to Internships, Employment for TSU Students; Record Number Attend

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University students looking for internships, full-time employment and co-op opportunities got a major break on Wednesday. More than 130 companies and potential employers converged on the main campus for the 2018 Fall Career Fair.

Representatives from government agencies, aerospace, engineering, healthcare and the entertainment industries set up tents, tables and displays in the Gentry Center Complex to network with students about career and potential employment opportunities.

Organizers said nearly 400 students attended the all-day fair.

Anthony Wadsworth, a senior electrical engineering major, right, talks to Boeing representatives about internship opportunity. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

India Brown, a junior sociology major with public health concentration, and Anthony Wadsworth, a senior electrical engineering major, were among the first students at the fair. They were both looking for internships.

“I am looking for something that’s in the health field, dealing with social work,” said Brown, a Memphis native, as she filled in an application form with Tennessee Family Solutions, Inc., a direct support group dedicated to people with special needs.

For Wadsworth, who was networking at the Boeing table, he was following up on a previous meeting with Boeing representatives in Washington, D.C, last summer. He is seeking his first internship.

Within minutes of arriving at the career fair, India Brown, seeking internship opportunity in the healthcare industry, was already filling out an application. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“I spoke with them at the Black Engineer of the Year Awards ceremony in Washington last summer. They directed me to the right place and I am just here to follow up,” said Wadsworth, who is from Nashville.

He may just be in luck. Boeing representatives said they were “quite” impressed with the quality and preparedness of the TSU students at the fair.

“We see a great potential here among these students,” said Edward H. Gerding, vice president and senior chief engineer for structure and mechanical systems at Boeing. “We are actually looking across the board. We are growing in all aspects of our business between engineering, supply chain and business. We are looking for engineers and people in varieties of specialties, and now is the perfect time for students that are searching for internships.”

Like Boeing, representatives from the CIA, FedEx, NASA, Regions Bank and several other corporations and employers said TSU students – dressed in dark business suits and black shoes – were very impressive in appearance, approach and presentation.

Corey L. Harrell, left, a 2001 TSU graduate now working for NASA, returns to his alma mater as a recruiter for NASA. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“We do a lot of work in terms of preparation,” said Charles Jennings, director of the TSU Career Development Center, which organized the fair. “Last week and up to yesterday, we spent time getting them ready for interviews. I see that it shows, because a lot of the employers are talking about the great turnout and how ready our students are.”

Jennings also attributed the success of the fair and the preparedness of students to the mentorship provided by alumni of the career center, many of whom returned not only as recruiters for their various companies, but also to help their younger protégés prepare for the real world.

“It is just nice to see them giving back to their institution,” Jennings said.

Nearly 30 TSU graduates who got their career start with companies through the Career Development Center, attended the fair as recruiters for their companies and to mentor their younger proteges. (Photo by Jamal Coleman, TSU Career Development Center)

In all, nearly 30 TSU graduates, who got their career start with companies through the Career Development Center, were seen sporting shirts with Alumni on a TSU blue patch affixed to the chest. One of them was Corey L. Harrell, NASA SMA engines branch chief at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

He said coming back to TSU as a “proud alum” means a lot to him. “Anytime I can get a chance to come back I always do it,” said Harrell, who has returned several times to mentor and participate in the career fair. “

For more information on future career fairs or the TSU Career Development Center, to http://www.tnstate.edu/careers/

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Student Employment Fair Offers Opportunity for Work-Study, Part-Time Job Seekers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Koseyona Scott and Michelle Williams are only freshmen, but they are already looking for jobs to help with college costs and other needs.

“It is really something I am concerned about and I don’t want to burden my parents,” says Scott, a business major from Urbana, Illinois, who owes a balance on her first semester tuition.

TSU students Koseyona Scott and Michelle Williams, right, talk to Kroger associate resource managers Matthew Kirby and Marilyn T. Bell. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“I am looking for a part-time job, even though my parents don’t want me to work in my freshman year,” added Williams, a business major from Memphis, Tennessee.

Scott and Williams may just be in luck. The two friends, who met just recently, were among hundreds of fellow students who attended a student employment fair on Sept. 18 organized by the TSU Career Development Center.

Nearly 30 companies, businesses, organizations and campus offices set up tents, tables and displays in Elliott Hall to discuss part-time and work study opportunities with TSU students.

“Today’s fair is intended to help those students who have work-study funds but have not found a work-study position yet,” says Charles Jennings, director of the Career Development Center. “For those students who are not work-study eligible, we have off-campus employees that are here too to provide our students with part-time opportunities.”

Kroger, which has hired several TSU students and graduates in the past, was one of those looking for part-time employees.

“We have many opportunities across all of our departments,” says Matthew Kirby, a Kroger associate resources manager. “We have 21 stores in the Nashville, Brentwood areas that are looking for cashiers, customer service representatives, as well as stocking and pharmacy clerks. We also have management opportunities for those majoring in management.”

Mitzi Bruner, director of human resources of Tennessee Community Services Agency, says her agency is looking for students to fill five part-time positions.

“We are looking to hire part-time employees for a program starting here in Nashville, with the Department of Correction,” says Bruner.

Among other companies, organizations, offices and agencies represented at the fair were:  Bass Pro Shop, Boy Scouts of America, Burlington, LOFT, Sherwin Williams, At Home Healthcare, Total Wine, St. Luke’s Community House and VF Workwear. Representing TSU were: Police Department, Student Success Center, Research and Institutional Advancement, Student Conduct and Athletics.

For more information on career and employment opportunities, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/careers/

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

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Job Outlook Shows Great Promise for Tennessee State University Graduates

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – College graduates will soon hit the market with big dreams and high expectations, and Tennessee State University is helping to make them a reality.

Focused academic preparation, combined with job readiness training and career coaching are paying huge dividends for upcoming TSU graduates.

On May 4 and 5, the university will graduate more than 1,000 students at its dual spring commencements. Officials say a “substantial number” have already received job or internship offers.

Representatives from Kroger Regional Office talk to a TSU student, right, during a recent career fair on the TSU main campus. (Phto by TSU Career Development Center)

Among them is Emmanuel Gyang of Nashville. Upon his graduation on May 5, he will be heading to Bank of America in Dallas as a systems engineer in the company’s data center.

So will Justus Watson, who graduates with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences with a biotechnology concentration. The Atlanta native will join Union Pacific in the marketing and sales department in Omaha, Nebraska.

And Kevin Scott, also of Nashville, who will receive a degree in electrical engineering. Scott has potential job offers waiting for him with Lockheed Martin and AMRDEC, or the Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center.

Recent data comparison shows that TSU is on an upward trajectory when it comes to job placement for new graduates.

Within three months of receiving their degrees, nearly 52 percent of students who graduated in December had received “some form of employment opportunities,” according to the TSU Career Development Center. That’s just 6 percent shy of the national average of graduates who had jobs within six months of graduation, according to College Track, an online database that guides parents and students in college selection.

What is driving these high numbers for TSU?

“It starts with leadership,” says Dr. Tracey Ford, TSU’s vice-president for Student Affairs. “Our president, Dr. Glenda Glover, has elevated the expectation of job placement for our graduates and has charged Student Affairs to be aggressive and innovative in our approach to recruiting employers and securing internships and permanent placement for our talented students.”

More than 130 vendors, including major employers and graduate school representatives, attended the Fall Career and Job Fair on campus last October. (Photo by TSU Career Development Center)

Ford also attributes TSU’s success to the “outstanding job performance” of former students who are employed with companies around the nation and the world.

“Our students who have become great employees at these world-renowned companies are making such an impact that it causes the employers to want to continue to recruit at Tennessee State University,” says Ford.

Last year, TSU received a $2 million career development grant from the United Negro College Fund. The money gave Career Development Center staff the tools to prepare and ultimately help TSU students secure employment immediately upon graduation.

Bethany Beaty, talent acquisition specialist at Enterprise Holdings, Inc., who has hired several TSU graduates over the years, says, “TSU students are very realistic and very ambitious.”

“They always have a drive, and always willing to start at the bottom and work their way up,” says Beaty.

Collectively, the success of Gyang, Watson and Scott and the many other upcoming graduates is a clear reflection of TSU’s “aggressive and innovative” approach to job skills readiness and placement, says Charles Jennings, director of the Career Development Center.

According to Jennings, relationships with employers have been a major factor for TSU’s success. For instance, a career fair in October – one of the largest in recent years – brought more than 130 companies on campus, “all looking to hire our students.” Among major companies at the fair were Apple, Microsoft, Ford Motor Company and Health Career Connections.

“I will have to say we are doing some outstanding work here at TSU in terms of our outreach with employers, not only within the Nashville area, but nationwide,” says Jennings.

Gyang, who interned with Bank of America last year, says he’s “anxiously” waiting for his July start date with the corporate giant.

“I feel blessed to be graduating with a job with a company like Bank of America,” he says. “I owe it to TSU for the preparation I received in the classroom and from the Career Development Center. They definitely honed me to be the person I am today. They taught me how to carry myself in a more professional manner.”

Watson and Scott share Gyang’s sentiments.

“I am pretty excited about this opportunity,” says Watson, the outgoing vice-president of the Student Government Association, who said an interaction at an Agriculture Future of America leadership conference helped him to land the job with Union Pacific.

“A lot of how TSU prepared me made that moment possible. Motivations from my advisors in the College of Agriculture, along with outstanding mentors, and participating in different organizations on campus were helpful. Without TSU, I know for sure I would not have been ready for this opportunity.”

For more information on the TSU Career Development Center, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/careers/

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU Chemistry Day 2018 Gives High School Students Exposure to Advanced Scientific Research, Labs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s 15th annual Chemistry Day drew a positive reaction from area high school students.

Held in the Alger V. Boswell Science Complex on April 12, Chemistry Day also included a career fair where graduates met with potential employers and interacted with graduate program representatives.

About 75 students from Hillsboro HIgh School attended Chemistry Day 2018 at TSU. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

The daylong program, including a guest lecturer, was organized by the Department of Chemistry in the College of Life and Physical Sciences, in collaboration with the TSU Chemistry Graduate Student Association.

It gave graduate students the opportunity to showcase their research in poster presentations, while visiting high school students – mainly from Nashville’s Hillsboro High School this year – toured the various labs, participated in chemistry demonstrations, and a game of “chemistry Challenge.”

“Chemistry Day is part of our recruitment effort, which also helps us to showcase our programs, and gives students an opportunity to meet potential employers,” said Dr. Mohammad R. Karim, chair of the Department of Chemistry. “We also include high school students for them to see what we have and that we exist. In high school they may learn about chemistry, but they do not know what the details are.”

Nafisa Hamza, a graduating senior, left, discusses her research project with a visiting high school student. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

Mohammad said bringing in high school students “for early exposure” also helps to dispel the myth that chemists can only work in certain places.

“We want them to know early on that there is an array of different areas for careers and work for people with chemistry backgrounds,” he said.

Mollie Summers, a 10th-grader from Hillsboro High School, said she wants to become a neurosurgeon, but knows very little about what becoming a surgeon entails. She said listening to TSU professors and seeing the different demonstrations in the labs gave her a better understanding of the importance of chemistry in her future endeavor.

“I know the basics of chemistry, like atomic numbers, stuff we talk about in the chemistry class at school, but touring these labs has opened my eyes to a whole different world,” Summers said.

Representatives from 11 companies and organizations set up booths in the Boswell Science Complex lobby to talk to students about internship and job opportunities.

Kara Allen is manager of Recruitment and University Relations at Aegis Science Corporation. This was her sixth year attending Chemistry Day. Over the years, her company has hired “a lot of graduates” of the TSU chemistry program.

“We are here to talk about positions that are open,” said Allen. “TSU has a great chemistry program. We hire a lot of your undergraduate and graduate students. For the high school kids, we want to get them interested in our careers and sciences early through internship programs.”

William Taylor, a junior communications major and member of the TSU Student Advisory Board, right, mans the Career Services Center display at Chemistry Day in the Boswell Science Complex. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

At this year’s Chemistry Day, more than 15 research projects presented in posters were on display, dealing with topics from cancer research to compounds found in industrial petrochemicals, and effective drug delivery system in the treatment of HIV-associated neurological disorders.

Nafisa Hamza, of Nashville, who graduates in May, was one of the research presenters. Her topic was: “Signaling Pathways Involved in Tributyltin-Induced Increases in Interleukin 6 Production by Lymphocytes.”

She said her research, which could lead to treatment for cancer, is trying to understand the effect of the organic compound Tributylin on the human immune cells.

“The current study aims to determine whether TBT utilizes MAPK signaling pathways (ERK 1/2, p38) to cause alterations in IL-6 production,” Hamza said.

Dr. Renã A.S. Robin, a chemistry professor at Vanderbilt University, was this year’s Chemistry Day guest lecturer.  Her research focus is in the study of the aging process and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

For more information on TSU’s chemistry program, go to http://www.tnstate.edu/chemistry/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, Athletics, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, NEWS, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

Mass Communications Career Showcase Attracts 13 Major Media, Marketing and Entertainment Companies

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – TSU’s Career Development Center Tuesday held a student career showcase for mass communications and music majors in the Performing Arts Center.

Representatives from 13 media, marketing and entertainment companies set up booths, received resumes, conducted on-the-spot interviews and answered students’ questions about internships and employment opportunities.

Steve Burbank, local Comcast Spotlight sales manager, talks TSU graduating senior Alexis Thorton at the student career showcase. (Photo by Jamal Coleman, Career Development Center)

Alexis Thorton, a graduating senior, who came ready with a resume and application, said she was “really glad” to attend a fair on campus just for mass communications majors.

“Usually when we have a career fair on campus not many students come out from our department because it doesn’t feel like it is designed for us,” said Thorton, of Memphis. “This makes us feel like they care because as a graduating senior, this improves my chances for a job.”

Thorton, who interviewed with at least two companies, may just be one of the lucky ones among nearly 80 students at Tuesday’s career showcase to land a job as a result of the program.

Steve Burbank, local sales manager for Comcast Spotlight, came ready to hire a graduating senior.

TSU mass communications major Stefanie Avilla, right, talks to local TV Channel 4 representative Don Downs about employment opportunities. (Photo by Jamal Coleman, Career Development Center)

“We are looking for the right candidate to hire as an associate sales account executive,” Burbank said. “We are looking for someone to join our world-class media sales organization with a growth mindset who has an eye toward enhancing their sales acumen.”

He said the successful candidate will receive 12-months hands-on training, mentoring, learning assessment and product knowledge, as well as an eight-week corporate on-board training in Philadelphia, Denver and Atlanta.

Tina Reed, associate director of TSU’s Career Development Center, said unlike job fairs, the mass communications career showcase was designed to showcase students to potential employers.

“This was also intended to let them (students) know what type of opportunities they have in terms of entertainment, media and music,” said Reed. “We have some very good students here and some great companies. We just want to match them up and get them connected.”

Dr. Tameka Winston is the interim chair of the Department of Communications. She likes the idea of a career showcase dedicated specifically to mass communications, music and other liberal arts majors.

“Our students are among the best; they work very hard and they are always looking for internships and things of that nature,” Winston said. “We hope that this will be very beneficial to them especially going into the summer month.”

Among some of the other major companies and institutions at the career showcase were the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, local TV Channels 2 and 4, and Sony Music.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Alumni, Athletics, College of Engineering, EVENTS, FACULTY, FEATURED, GRANTS, NEWS, RESEARCH, Research and Sponsored Programs, SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

TSU Spring Internship Fair helps students take steps to success

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Many Tennessee State University students took a major leap toward their future Feb. 15.

More than 50 companies and organizations set up booths in Kean Hall for TSU’s second annual Spring Internship Fair.

TSU President Glenda Glover greets a vendor at the Spring Internship Fair in Kean Hall. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

TSU President Glenda Glover and a host of university officials stopped by the various booths to view the displays and greet vendors.

Alonzo Furtick, a graduating senior majoring in business marketing and graphic design, was one of the first students to show up.

The Charlotte, North Carolina native saw the fair as an opportunity to get an early start on a search for potential internship or employment opportunity.

“The fact that TSU gives us this kind of opportunity to grow and expand and be exposed to different areas is phenomenal,” Furtick said. “I am a senior, I expect to graduate this semester. Ideally, I am looking for any business marketing internship or graphic design internship.”

Altria, a Fortune 500 company based in Richmond, Virginia, is one of the sponsors of the fair. The company has partnered with the TSU Colleges of Life and Physical Sciences, and Engineering, to groom science and engineering students. It has already hired a TSU engineering graduate who was recruited as an intern at last year’s fair.

A recruitment team from Altria participates in the Spring Internship Fair. From left are: Latoya Boone, Priscilla Maquire, Lynora Lee and Roosevelt Reynolds. Reynolds, a reliability engineer at Altria’s facility in Nashville, is a TSU graduate. He was recruited as an intern at last year’s fair and worked his way up to full employment. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

“Tennessee State University is one of our target schools,” said Greg Shiflette, a recruiter and functional campus owner with Altria. “With Altria, we don’t go to all the schools in the country. We target our resources to specific universities, and so TSU is one of our target schools where we are dedicating our resources to come in and recruit.”

Roosevelt Reynolds, who graduated from TSU last December, is the reliability engineer at the Altria facility in Nashville. He joined the company as an intern and worked his way up to full-time employment.

“My TSU preparation as a mechanical engineer and capabilities in other areas of manufacturing gave me the tool to do the very work I am doing right now at Altria,” said Reynolds, who is from Birmingham, Alabama. “I am forever grateful to the College of Engineering, and especially Tennessee State University, for the exposure that has helped me to integrate myself in various processes in my work area.”

Reynolds is also part of Altria’s recruitment team.

Charles Jennings, director of TSU’s Career Development Center, said he is excited about the “overwhelming” growth of the fair in just its second year.

“When we had the Spring Internship Fair for the first time last year, we only had 28 employers who signed up,” Jennings said. “This year we have more than 50. We are very proud of the increase; we are very proud of the diversity of businesses and organizations that are here today.”

He credits the various colleges and departments for the success, especially the Office of Academic Affairs, which gave students excuse from class to come to the fair.

“This is really paying off for us,” Jennings said.

Some of the other companies, businesses and organizations at the fair were: Regions Bank, Skanska, Aramark, the Tennessee National Guard, Enterprise, and Nashville Public Television.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 8,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 25 master’s degree programs and seven doctoral degrees. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.