On February 17th-18th, a group of Alcorn State University (ASU) student athletes got to participate in the first annual HBCU (Historically Black College and University) Legacy Bowl Career Fair sponsored by the Black College Football Hall of Fame and the New Orleans Saints. The event was held in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Hyatt Regency. The Career Fair lasted from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm on both days.
The student athletes that attended this event from ASU were Steffon Savage, Karlie Johnson, Kee Wayne Jones, Kareem Bowe, and Niamh Magill. The Office of Career Services here at Alcorn spear headed this trip which allowed students to connect with over 60 Fortune 500 employers giving out job opportunities and career counseling for HBCU Juniors and Seniors.
Some of the employers that were represented at the Career Fair included: Coca Cola, Adidas, the New Orleans Pelicans, State Farm, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Home Depot, Deluxe Athletics, the NFL Network, the NFL, CITI, Hilton, NASA, USDA, and the Four Seasons.
“I was very proud of how our students represented Alcorn. As the advisor and chaperone, I received so many complements from the corporate sponsors on how prepared these young professionals were. They asked excellent questions and were eager to learn about the different companies and careers they had to offer,” stated Roy Burr, Career Services, ASU.
The Career Fair also included live presentations from experts who gave students lessons in resume writing, career counseling, interviewing, etc. There were also different panels discussing different topics such as sports opportunities, building wealth, protecting and building your brand, and networking. Former professional athletes such as Hall of Fame quarterback Doug Williams, NFL legends Mel Blount and Art Shell, and others, were on-hand to guide and mentor the students as they participated in the event.
Additionally, the Fair included two keynote speakers, one for each day. On February 17th, the speaker was ESPN reporter and anchor Stan Verrett. On February 18th, the speaker was Cedric Richmond, who is the Senior advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
“This opportunity gave our students the platform to meet one-on-one with hiring managers from Fortune 500 companies from around the country. I foresee the Legacy Bowl continuing to grow annually to create opportunities to give HBCU students the opportunities to showcase their education and talents to a broader employer base both nationally and internationally,” Burr stated.
(Photo courtesy of Roy Burr)