Talent Improvement Planning (TIP) Grant meeting

September 13, 2016

Voorhees College held a Talent Improvement Planning (TIP) Grant meeting on Sept. 9 to unify corporate and community businesses and alumni with current students.

The purpose of this meeting was to share with students various employment strategies on how to gain valuable employment and tips on how to be successful while in school. In addition, administrators working on the grant were able to receive suggestions on how to secure the possible $1.5 grant for the UNCF’s Career Pathways Initiative.

Among the businesses there were: Garth Cook from Boeing, S. C.; Scott McGregor from Cisco Systems, Inc.; Joni McDaniel from the S.C. Commerce Department, David Miller from Our Weekly, and the president of the Voorhees National Alumni Association (N.A.A.), and Megan Sims from the Low Savannah S.C. Works. 

Alumni testimonies were given by Houser Hyacinth, David Miller, Charles Brown, vice president of the N.A.A., and Betty Davis. They advised the students to utilize all the resources that are available on campus. The alumni also expressed that even though they are attending a small institution, Voorhees is fully capable of helping them achieve any career goal that they aspire. Alumni members also added that if there is something a student believes he or she does not have, it is up to him or her to go the extra mile and get the resources needed. 

Boeing Rep. Garth Cook, education relations, provided insight into their aircraft manufacturing company founded in Seattle in 1916. He emphasized that Boeing welcomes college grads who have gained skillful experiences and have something new and different to offer the company.

“Students can come on board with a new tradition and outlook on making our current processes better,” Cook said. “We need a diversity of thought in our team members for today’s global society, and today’s students have a greater sense of multi-cultural sensitivity.”

Scott McGregor from Cisco did a live demonstration involving some of Voorhees’ SGA members. He explained that students have to compete for employment. In addition, he explained that students who are proactive as freshmen and obtain internships and networking, have an advantage over those who wait until their senior year.

The program concluded with students addressing the alumni and businesses with their concerns on how to achieve success.