employment | Tennessee State University Newsroom

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The experience, success and or job stability are just a few of many reasons behind attending college. At TSU, many of the undergraduates did just that by successfully landing employment in their industry before walking across the stage. From Microsoft to Bank of America, here are four Spring 2022 graduates who landed top-paying jobs with fortune 500 companies.

Davarious Thompson accepted a full-time job offer last fall as a project engineer assistant with one of the largest domestic contractors in the United States, Turner Construction Company. Thompson of Memphis, Tennessee, received a Bachelor of Science degree in architectural engineering from the College of engineering. When he first enrolled at TSU, he was unsure of what career path he wanted to take. That’s when he decided to utilize his resources on campus.

Davarious Thompson accepted a full-time job offer as a project engineer assistant with Turner Construction Company. (Photo submitted)

“The career development center gave me that extra push,” Thompson said. Upon arrival, an employee from the career development center told Thompson to close his eyes and envision the person he wanted to become and a career path he truly wanted to follow.

“The first thing I said was … build a building or designing.” That’s when Thompson got on track with the engineering program. “I fell in love with it.” Thompson will start his new position located in his hometown on June 16, earning around $80,000. Thomas said his 2019 internship at General Motors, his senior capstone project, and overall TSU experience is what led him to the amazing opportunity.

As for Aliyah Muhammad, she is still in shock about the job offered she accepted as a software developer for Bank of America.

Muhammad of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, received a degree in computer science and is moving to Dallas, Texas, for her new career in June. She will be earning $88,000. “It’s been a long time,” Muhammad said, noting that she was initially a biology major.

Aliyah Muhammad accepts job offer as software developer for Bank of America. (Photo submitted)

“But it was definitely worth it.”

The first-generation college graduate accepted the job in December and said that the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP) program, is what assisted her on the journey. “It’s so surreal,” she said. “I am really excited to start the next chapter of my life. TSU was awesome and I am very grateful.” As Muhammad is in disbelief of her outstanding accomplishments, Shaun Anderson of Lexington, Kentucky, said his graduation experience was bittersweet.

Anderson is a recent graduate who received a degree in marketing. During his time at TSU, Anderson became a United Negro College Fund scholar and traveled to D.C. for a leadership seminar, an event that set him up for success, he said.

“Being in that room … and being an African American male at a HBCU is unheard of,” Anderson said. “Being in that setting is great.” Anderson interned with Spectrum in 2021 and the rest was history. “Once I did a good job the first summer … they invited me for a full-time position.”

Shaun Anderson accepts offer with Charter Communications as a marketing analytics specialist. (Photo submitted)

Starting July 6, Anderson will be taking his talents to Charlotte, North Carolina, working for Spectrum/ Charter Communications as their marketing analytics specialist, earning $85,000.

In just a few weeks, Amiya Ingram will be a part of the 5.7% of African American employees representing Microsoft within the United States.

Ingram of Huntsville, Alabama, will be moving to Seattle, Washington, to start her new position as a program manager. She will be working under Microsoft’s marketing and advertising artificial intelligence team.

“It was only God,” the recent TSU graduate said when she applied for the position and received the offer after four rounds of hour-long interviews.

Amiya Ingram accepts offer as a program manager, under Microsoft’s marketing and advertising artificial intelligence team. (Photo submitted)

Ingram, who was the president of the National Society of Black Engineers at TSU, now holds a bachelor’s degree from the college of engineering in computer science. She noted that her contribution towards the organization and members, along with support from the computer science department, has shown her what she is capable of. “That organization (NSBE) creates some of the best talent that the university produces,” she said. “It showed me my own power within myself.”

She stated that helping others keeps her motivated. “It is something so fulfilling about seeing people really thrive in whatever they want to do.”

Ingram landed a six-figure salary and will start her new position on June 20.

Department of Media Relations

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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 eight 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.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University psychology students should not have too hard a time finding employment after graduation, statistics show.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of psychologists is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2010 and 2020.

Andre K. Davis II, a senior psychology major, reviews his research project in the Neuroanatomy Lab in the Department of Psychology at TSU. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

“Psychology majors develop critical thinking skills, data analysis skills, and a very broad range of skills that a number of professions look for,” said Dr. Kiesa Kelly, professor and chair of the TSU Department of Psychology.

A recent report by the National Center for Education Statistics shows psychology is the fourth most pursued bachelor’s degree among college students.

The report said only business, health professions, and social sciences and history out rank psychology as areas with the most influx of students on the undergraduate level.

At Tennessee State University, for instance, about 300 students are majoring in psychology, the fourth single highest area of concentration for majors at the university. Nearly 50 students graduate from the program each year.

Experts say increased interest in the mental health of children and federal education legislation has influenced students’ interest in psychology.

Particularly at TSU, Kelly said “quality” is a major reason for the mass attraction.

“We have redesigned our program so that it makes our students more competitive both for graduate school and the job market,” she said. “We have excellent faculty with strong research credentials who could be faculty at major research institutions, but because of their commitment to mentoring students, they have chosen to come here.”

Andre K. Davis II is a senior psychology major in TSU’s program.

“I love the program here,” said Davis, a Memphis native. “I give the psyche program a 10 out of 10. When I came here I really didn’t know what I was going to do. But the professors here really truly do everything to help their students. Any opportunity they see, they try to get it for you.”

Kelly said the department seeks out opportunities to ensure students have all the necessary help to make them competitive for graduate work or the job market.

“We really have been working on trying to increase our admission of students into doctoral programs by increasing research opportunities for them,” she said.

Last year, for instance, Kelly said the department received a five-year, $850,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to create the TSU Nerve Program, which helps psychology majors and majors from other disciplines get into doctoral programs in neuroscience.

“Neuroscience is an area within our undergraduate program that we have been building,” Kelly said. “This is one of the directions of psychology as a major and we have been moving in that direction to remain on the cutting edge. As I speak, four of our students are at Princeton for the summer getting their paid neuroscience research experience.”

BestColleges.com has curated a scholarship and financial aid resource for students pursuing a degree in psychology. To get more information, visit: http://www.bestcolleges.com/financial-aid/psychology-scholarships/.

Department of Media Relations

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

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. 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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Tag Archives: employment

From graduation to employment, TSU graduates secure top jobs with fortune 500 companies

Statistics Show Promising Future for Psychology Majors