IMPACT

The conference, held May 31-June 2, 2023, was the first in-person SLC meeting following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The multiday event featured presentations, panel discussions and keynote addresses from corporate leaders on professional development topics, aimed at equipping students with skills needed to be successful as interns and early career professionals.

Hosted in cooperation with UNCF’s longtime partner Wells Fargo & Company, and supported by other corporate and foundation sponsors, the SLC also provided opportunities for the diverse rising juniors and seniors attending 42 colleges and universities from across the country including HBCUs, to participate in an intense training simulation with coaching from high-level business and nonprofit professionals.

As the U.S. becomes a more diverse population, employers face a critical challenge to find and hire the next generation of culturally diverse professionals in the high-growth industries of business, computer science, education, engineering, finance, healthcare, supply chain and technology.

The goal of the UNCF Student Professional Development Programs (SPDP) department, which develops and executes this premiere annual conference training event, is for attendees to feel confident and equipped to succeed as they begin to embark upon internships and fellowships at the conclusion of the conference. Therefore, the theme, “We Got the Keys: Unlocking the Leader Within,” and all featured sessions were designed to be relevant to today’s workforce and how to excel within it.

Attendees represented 18 UNCF internship and professional development programs:

Wells Fargo, a $1 million grant providing scholarships and emergency student aid for students and funding for UNCF’s Empower Me Tour program, HBCU Innovation Summit and Student Leadership Conference

UNCF K-12 Education Fellowship, a leadership and talent development initiative aimed at building a robust pipeline of high-achieving African Americans engaged in education reform in America

VWGoA/UNCF Corporate Scholars Program, sponsored in partnership with Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., provides internships to students in HBCUs who are majoring in business, marketing, information technology or engineering

UNCF Lighted Pathways Initiative, creating a career pathway to attract, develop and retain Black talent for the asset management industry

The Red Sox Foundation, an internship with the official charity of the Boston Red Sox

The Walt Disney Company UNCF Corporate Scholarship and Internship Program, the premier scholarship opportunity for talented, high-achieving, underrepresented college students seeking to enter the entertainment industry

United Health Foundation Diverse Scholars Initiative, a program that aims to increase the number of diverse health care providers in underserved communities

ESPN’s Rhoden Fellows Initiative, a yearlong program where students serve as on-campus correspondents producing multimedia content for Andscape including campus news and coverage from various events

UNCF/Best Buy Scholars Program, provides college scholarships, internships and mentorship for diverse students

Bimbo Bakeries Student Professional Development Program, supporting students majoring in accounting, business administration, engineering, finance, marketing, mathematics, mechanical engineering, robotics, science or technology

UNCF Lincoln Financial Scholars Program, a competitive career development program focused on students studying at HBCUs

Papa Johns RiSE Internship Program (Recruiting Interns for Success and Excellence), provides mentorship, internships and experiential learning

Exelon Foundation’s HBCU Corporate Scholars Program, provides scholarships and an Exelon internship related to their academic interests, including business administration, business management, engineering, finance, information technology or supply chain management

ADT Corporate Scholars, provides internships and resources to build a pool of Black talent in the security services sector

Anaplan Corporate Scholars Program, provides scholarships for students majoring in psychology, engineering, communications, science technologies or computer and information sciences and support services

UNCF/Old Dominion Scholars Program, provides scholarships for students majoring in business, logistics, supply chain management, communications or industrial engineering

UNCF Toyota Scholar Interns, provides scholarships, career-readiness training, internships and other resources

FanDuel, an internship with the premier online gaming company in North America

UNCF and corporate speakers included Early Reese, chief operating officer, UNCF; Larry Griffith, executive vice president, programs and student services, UNCF; and Shantae Joseph, senior vice president, external engagement, Wells Fargo & Company.

Additional conference speakers included:

• Barry Pearson, vice president, financial planning and analysis, Paramount Pictures
• Brandon V. Ray, author and speaker, BAAR Consulting
• Marcia Fairweather, senior director, project management, UNCF
• Estee Mendoza-Irby, director, grants management, UNCF
• Shayna Yvonne Rudd-Winters, psychotherapist, The Legends House
• Rashida Wilson, chief executive officer and founder, Nehermiah Leadership Institute
• Robert Kennedy, III, chief executive officer and founder, Kennetik Kommunications
• Markell Byrd, managing director, Strategy & Innovation, Wells Fargo
• Sheila Jacobs, executive director, senior lead business growth strategy consultant, Wells Fargo Advisors
• Maria Kirby, vice president, government relations, The Walt Disney Company
• Candace Barnes, vice president, global head of diversity, talent & culture, Papa Johns
• Miriam Hammond, founder and executive director, Deep Research Group

“Our Student Leadership Conference is a culmination of a yearlong effort to recruit and professionally develop the best, diverse college student talent for valuable career experiences. We want them to go with confidence and with real tools to make this and every opportunity successful,” said Taliah Givens, senior director, Student Professional Development Programs, UNCF.

“I got to learn about corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion and organizational behavior. And all of this has best prepared me for my internship,” said conference attendee Livi Grant, a recent graduate of Florida A&M University.

UNCF and Wells Fargo continue to work together to support the SLC, impacting the lives of the students who attend and helping them gain the knowledge they will need to enter the workplace.

“Wells Fargo is proud to continue its support of UNCF to help empower the next generation of leaders and support the next steps of their career journey,” said Georgette “GiGi” Dixon, head of external engagement for diverse segments, representation and inclusion, Wells Fargo. “Together, Wells Fargo and UNCF can help ensure the students are ready to successfully enter our nation’s workforce and thrive in the years to come as the next generation of diverse and talented leaders.”

That kind of support creates impact and change that truly ensures better futures for us all.