On Friday, October 20th, the Charles E. Brown African American Cultural Center hosted its annual Sycamore Black Alumni Networking Panel, an event that brings several influential business leaders with a past at ISU back to campus, with the aim of empowering students for their future careers.
This year, the panelists included: Policy Director for the Office of the City-County Council Greg Stowers, Assessment Family Case Manager Joysche’ Heron, Assistant Director and STEM Specialist at Xavier University Nykara Brown, Fogo de Chao General Manager Christina Porter, Entrepreneur Bill Higgins, Marion University Chancellor Leon Jackson, Illinois Department of Public Health Officer Dr. Carla Little, and Judge Brenda A. Roper, among others. The event was attended by approximately one hundred students.
Sophomore KJ Brown was one of those students. Brown said that the biggest advantage he’s gotten from the event, and the AACC as a whole, is the opportunity to meet people that he doesn’t normally get to talk to.
“Today, I wanted to build connections and work on my networking skills. Maybe get an internship or even a scholarship down the line if that’s possible, but I definitely want to build connections,” Brown said.
One of the “table hosts,” invited alumni and business leaders who did not sit on the panel but still interacted with students; Sade Denton, serves as the Director of Health Informatics for the Hamilton Center. Denton said that she wanted to be part of the panel because she remembered how impactful the panel was for her when she was an ISU student.
“This event is not new, but it is absolutely needed. Getting to speak and learn and create new relationships is important. It’s not something that is always focused on, but it is a key aspect of your growth,” Denton said.
The panelists covered a wide range of topics, including: their times at ISU (the most recent alumni graduated in 2017, while the least recent graduated in 1981), on-campus jobs, how to start networking, climbing the managerial ladder, finding your passion, tying your passion and your career together, professionalism, adversity, and many other areas. Brown said that he would definitely attend the event in following years.
“I’ve enjoyed it [the AACC] so far, and I’m very excited to keep being involved,” Brown said.