Courtesy of Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University’s Pre-Alumni Council recently participated in the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Leadership Conference in Birmingham, Alabama. The annual conference hosted more than 300 attendees and offered the HBCU UNCF-member institutions a chance to connect and enhance skills for post-academic life and career opportunities.
This year the conference was held in conjunction with the anniversary celebrations of the 76th National Alumni Council (NAC) and the 64th National Pre-alumni Council. The three-day leadership workshop provided networking, motivational and educational opportunities for alums, pre-alumni, UNCF staff, UNCF-member institutions, and current and potential supporters of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Tuskegee University’s representation included 18 students who were able to attend energizing workshops and hear from industry speakers exploring the best and most promising practices relevant to students.
“The annual conference allows our students to see the importance of becoming effective alumni through giving time, talents, and finances to support their alma mater and the UNCF,” said Kymberly Holland, coordinator of Alumni Affairs and Reunion Programs. “Each day was filled with sessions to equip UNCF scholars with the skills and tools to find their path to greatness.”
During the conference, students at the UNCF member institutions elected Jaelyn Graves, a junior nursing major at Tuskegee University, to serve as the incoming vice president of the UNCF Pre-Alumni Council executive board. Graves will encourage early participation in alumni activities and create further loyalty and fellowship amongst her peers.
In addition, the conference offered three Tuskegee University students $6,500 in scholarships from Fed Ex and Wells Fargo. The students include Naima Hoskins, Jamea Harris, and Daryl Cossy Jr. Respectively; the Tuskegee Pre Alumni Council won three National Pre-Alumni Council Awards; The Barbara Marshall Award presented to the “Pre-Alumni Council of the Year,” which is selected by a vote of the NPAC Board, and other NPAC Superlative Awards, PAC of the year and PAC the Kitchen NPAC Vice President Award.
Sponsors of the 2023 leadership conference included Goldman Sachs and other partners AlixPartners, American Express, Bank of America, Best Buy, Cox Enterprises, FedEx, Toyota, and the Walton Family Foundation.
