Three years ago, when the HBCU Legacy Bowl was initiated, the founders wanted a career fair to be a part of the Legacy Bowl weekend to bring job opportunities and professional presentations like resume writing and interview tips to juniors and seniors attending HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities).
The NFL bought into the idea, and for a second time since the Legacy Bowl’s creation, a career fair was held on Feb. 23 and 24 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in the La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom.
Forty five students from Alabama State University attended the HBCU Legacy Bowl Career Fair, presented by the New Orleans Saints. The event provided job opportunities and career counseling for HBCU juniors and seniors.
Participants had the opportunity to connect with some of the nation’s top employers. For those students who were interested in a sports career, the majority of the NFL teams had representatives on hand. Live presentations featuring experts in career counseling, resume writing, interviewing, etc., were also part of the program.
Sabrina Crowder, DM, director of the Office of Career Services at Alabama State University, said the experience was overall a good experience.
“This past weekend, I was able to take 44-45 students to the HBCU Legacy Bowl Career Fair that took place on Feb. 23-24,” Crowder said. “I was very privileged to bring the students because many of them have not even been out of the state. So just to see them in a new environment and to see them interact with other students from schools like Jackson State University, Alcorn State University, Tuskegee University, and Prairie View A&M University was an experience.”
She continued to describe the experience.
“The trip down was trying as it got a little hot on the bus, but that was rectified,” she said. “Anytime you travel with a lot of students, you are going to get some character, and you are going to have a good time. I enjoyed the students lighting up when they walked into the career fair. They saw people from the state department, FBI, the Detroit Lions, the Chicago Bears, the Cardinals – all of these different opportunities for them to go around and get immediate internships. Some students received immediate interview offers, and others got immediate job offers. Some of them have now accepted those opportunities.”
Crowder felt that the experience was an overall success due to the vast exposure that students were able to witness.
“Overall, it was a good success because it put 44 students into a space they never thought they could be a part of and be competitive in front of top industries such as Cengage,” she said. “There were so many people there I can not remember them all, but 450 companies across the country were competing for that talent.”
Attire is essential for these kinds of occasions, and Crowder felt that Alabama State University students were prepared.
“Our students were dressed in professional business attire; they had their resumes and elevator pitches,” she said. “They were prepared. Not once did I hear somebody say our students were not prepared. In fact, I received multiple compliments on their attire, their demeanor and professionalism.
“As a career services director, you can not ask for anything else but to see them go and use everything they learned in the classroom, from different engagement pieces and career events on campus,” she said. “For them, simply signing up to go was big as they could have easily done something else with their weekend, but they decided to go with Dr. Crowder to New Orleans, and it was worth it!”