On Tuesday, September 29, 2015, the Alcorn State University School of Agriculture, Research, Extension, and Applied Sciences (AREAS) hosted an informative seminar to prepare students for professional development. The seminar, held in the Jessie A. Morris/W.C. Boykins Agricultural Science Building, featured influential Cargill representative and 1988 Alcorn Alumnus, Rashad Hart, facility leader of grain & oilseed supply chain North America, Houston Grain Exports. His lecture collaborated on successful interviewing along with his colleague, 2014 Alcorn Alum, Daishon Sims.
“This seminar gives students the opportunity to understand that preparation and planning is key. It will also help to establish a long term relationship between Alcorn State and Cargill in the Agriculture Department,” Hart expressed.
The event began with an introduction from Hart and Sims, which included an ice breaker of the “5 P Approach:” Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.
Following the greetings and introduction, attendees were offered lunch before the presentation.
The lecture began with an overview of the presentation, which covered interview tips, stages and types of interviews, top 10 things towards a successful internship, and resume writing tips. The objective of the lecture was to supply students with the tools, techniques and approaches beneficial towards progression in the work industry.
The event was a collaboration with the Recruitment and Retention Corporate Partnership Initiative, Alcorn State University School of AREAS and Cargill. Every year Cargill looks to recruit at least 64 students in the Midwestern region for professional opportunities, four of whom come from Alcorn. Representatives of the company visit the Lorman campus of the University four times a year to recruit two senior students for full-time positions and two sophomore and junior students for internship opportunities.
Dr. Wesley Whittaker, Assistant Dean, Academic Programs Leader, Agricultural Economics and Co-orchestrator for the event stated, “The purpose of this session is to familiarize students with professional opportunities in large corporate companies such as Cargill.”
Before closing, Mr. Hart took questions from the attendees and briefly restated information.
For more information on this event, please contact Dr. Kenneth Stallings at kstall@alcorn.edu, (601) 877-6821 or Dr. Whittaker at wwesley@alcorn.edu, (601) 877-3975.