ALUMNI NEWS
notes. The three men agreed some African American male students require specialized career mentoring and guid- ance on postgraduate careers. In their view, some students were ill-prepared to compete for well-paying internships and jobs at leading corporations and organi- zations. Additionally, the men strongly felt these college students did not un- derstand the job market, what skills and personal traits are required to obtain an internship or job, nor aware of support services available to them, specifically the UNT Career Center. Three men brainstormed different ideas to assist these students and de- cided to establish an on-campus profes- sional mentorship and career guidance program called A Few Good Men. One essential aspect of the newly created program was its sponsors were profes- sional African American men of different ages, occupations, and experiences. The men felt the students needed to see and interact with successful African Ameri- can men and learn how to navigate their career journey. The aim was to help students transi- tion from college to getting internships to careers with major companies in vari- ous industries. Leveraging their professional experi- ences, Dunlap, Lewis, and Hill, along with the support of other professionals, offer a hands-on approach to men- torship, skill-set development, self- awareness, personal responsibility, and academic achievement. We focus on academic excellence, professional development, researching paid internships and jobs. AFGM strives to challenge local, regional, and national businesses and UNT alumni to provide internships and employment to this diverse group of young professionals. Dunlap reflected, "I'm proud to say that many of our students have jobs going into their senior year because of partnerships Shondrick, Andre, and I have built through our achievements and networks." The launching of the program had non-fraternal champions. " We're so grateful to Joanne Woodard, vice
minority in the workplace and les- sons learned. Program sponsors typically plan ses- sion agendas and curriculum one month in advance. Students have exercises on resume building, mock interviews, career discovery, and researching intern- ships. Other topics include thought leadership, networking strategies, LinkedIn ® seminars, and discussion of currently relevant topics. Some retired Kappa men have led AFGM sessions discussing the importance of career goal setting, including retirement planning. AFGM leaders obtain featured speakers from various companies and industries such as Microsoft ® , Texas Instruments ® , and Oracle ® to visit and speak about careers and the best strate- gies to succeed in the job market. Andre Lewis exercised a pivotal position with AFGM. "My primary role is to target, recruit and secure men- tors, speakers, and HR professionals to coordinate internships and jobs with organizations for our men," he stated. To attend AFGM sessions, all male students must wear a collared shirt, tie, and suit coat or blazer; no jeans or ten- nis shoes. Periodically, UNT sponsors a free business suit give-a-away that AFGM students utilize to obtain a suit. In particular, one AFGM student who understands the benefit of the AFGM program and does not own suit rents a suit from the campus career center to meet the dress code mandate. AFGM program had no commitment
president for institutional equity and diversity, and her division for sponsor- ing and being behind us in our efforts, stated Steve Johnson. "While observing the AFGM pro- gram, it's obvious the program has made a lasting positive impact on the young men's lives as they actively engaged in discussions regarding their personal and professional development. It's encour- aging to observe these young men strive to develop their skills and knowledge to help them achieve their future goals. AFGM Format AFGM sessions are held on campus promptly at 6:00 PM once a month during the academic year. Most ses- sions are 90 to 105 minutes in length. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average attendance ranged from 10 to 15 students. AFGM topics primarily center on: • Mentorship – Connect with UNT alumni and current UNT students in the business world; • Work-Life Balance – Manage the expectations and pressures of the job; • Resume Building – Creating or updating a resume and reviewed by UNT Alumni; • Career Planning – Foster leader- ship skills and set up a five-ten year plan after college; • Internship & Networking – Ability to participate in internships with the DFW area; • Professional Challenges – Being a
THE JOURNAL ♦ SPRING 2022
PUBLISHING ACHIEVEMENT IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR
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