On Tuesday February 28th at 3:00 pm in the Student Union Ballroom, Alcorn State University’s (ASU) Student Support Services welcomed guest speaker James Martin II who enlightened students on his project, ‘The Charisma Experience’.
Professional Development coach, speaker, author, corporate trainer, and etiquette consultant, Martin is referred to as the “Charisma Coach” and works with professionals, college students, and high school students to help them improve their personal influence and image. He covers a variety of topics such as personal branding, communication skills, dining and social etiquette, dressing for success, workplace etiquette, and networking through coaching, workshops, and seminars. Martin is also the etiquette instructor for Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church’s Boy’s Rites of Passage program. He serves as the dress coach for the program for college-age men called Suits for Sons, Inc. Martin is also a member of Kappa Alpha Phi Fraternity, Inc. where he serves as the etiquette chair for the Kappa League.
During the workshop, Martin enlightened students on how to better their brand building skills with the help of C.H.A.R.I.S.M.A. which is an acronym for Cultivate Relationships, Humility, Attitude, Respect, Initiative, Self-Development, Manners and Appearance. “The audience today was absolutely phenomenal. I think I was able to engage with them to the point where they asked questions and looked very intrigued. It is always important to be able to provide the information that students are definitely in need of,” stated Martin.
Martin explained throughout the program how employers today are not only looking for exceptional skills in individuals but they’re looking for certain dexterity. The way a person can communicate and how they work with others on a team are such tools being sought out. Upon his closing remarks for the workshop, Martin expressed the attentive conversation that he had with the students and looked forward to coming back to work with the staff and students in the future.
Stephon Savage, a Master’s Biology student stated, “I was pleasantly surprised at the numerous ways that I could brand myself. This event was very informative for me.”
After the workshop, Roy Burr, a Career Specialist at ASU, expressed to the students in attendance about presentational appearance by stating, “You never know what your first impression is on someone. The last impression or lasting impression you make on someone is very important because you never know who’s watching you and how you present yourself, especially on social media.” Burr also instructed the students to utilize the resources that are available at the Career Services department. He emphasized how Career Services has everything from professional writing resume reviews, the Career Closet, which provides professional clothing for students, and mock interview practices.
You can follow Alcorn’s Career Services for more events such as this on Instagram @alcornstatecareerservices and Twitter @ASUcareers.
(Photo credit: @alcornnsls on Instagram)