Rielly Pulliam
MC201/Staff’
Women are not slowing down anytime soon with breaking barriers and paying it forward to minority college students is one of many ways to keep hope alive.
JSU students received an opportunity to learn how to successfully climb the ladder of Corporate America as a minority at the “FedEx Women in Technology” forum hosted by Miss Senior, Mia Griffin who is an industrial technology major from Jackson, Miss.
The event featured a panel discussion with four women working in the FedEx corporate headquarters: Tori Black, human resources manager, Bettina Brown, technical advisor, Stacy Alexander, human resources advisor, and Tiffany Holland, a business application analyst.
Three of the women were Jackson State alumna and two were members of the Delta Pi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. They shared their success stories, the challenges of being underrepresented in corporate America, and the importance of internships.
Students were also informed about the internship opportunities offered by FedEx and given tips on how to make their resumes standout.
“The reason I hosted this event was to get underrepresented people out and motivate them to apply for internships early and be empowered. I wanted them to know that they are qualified for anything, and with the necessary networks and opportunities you can do anything in life,” said Griffin.
She added, “I received my position using every opportunity I gained. I hope everyone takes away that FedEx is a bigger company than they thought and they are motivated to do their very best.”
Students were given a networking opportunity at the end of the event where they could talk to the panelist and gain more knowledge about the FedEx internship opportunities.
Over half of the students who attended the event were not technology major, resulting in some questions being focused on the importance of being a technology major to get an internship with FedEx.
“My undergraduate degree is in psychology. It is your responsibility to figure out how you can take your degree, your skillset, and apply that skill set in different avenues. That’s not my job to sell your degree to me. You do the research and figure out what skillsets you have that can apply in these areas,” said Tori Black, a human resources manager who has been with FedEx for eight years and working in human resources for 25 years.
The panelist also encouraged students to take advantage of the career services center as well as the career expo that happens twice a year.
“I think the event was very much needed because I am one of those people who is afraid to go into corporate America because I am the double minority being black and a woman. The women on the panel were very encouraging and they really made me feel empowered, and like I have my skills and knowledge and that doesn’t make me different from anyone else…,” said Tiffany Moore, a junior computer science major, from Pinebluff, Ark.
Students learned that FedEx is a much larger company than just shipping packages. The panelists explained that there is a business side which has areas like human resources, marketing, sales, and more.
“This event really opened my eyes to how large of a company FedEx actually is. I didn’t even realize how much technology plays a part in shipping and tracking packages. Being that I am a technology major it was really interesting to hear how big of a role technology plays in the company,” said Jaylan Thompson, a senior industrial technology major from Grand Rapids, Mich.
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