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Academy Ends on High Note, Adds New Mentors

Posted: 12/14/2008

PSLA 2007 was an enormous success, due in large part to generous donations from our many sponsors

PSLA 2007 was an enormous success, due in large part to generous donations from our many sponsors and outstanding support from our host, Dean Fred Siegel and his superb George Washington University staff. GWU’s Mount Vernon Campus, located in the center of Washington, DC, was the ideal venue for the Academy. It allowed easy access to a variety of educational tours and offered the tranquility of a small campus environment. This year, forty exceptional students graduated from the Academy. The class represented 24 academic institutions from across the nation. Our already impressive curriculum was enhanced by excellent presentations by our sponsors, noted educators, former students and volunteers.

The class also enjoyed tours of DC and visits to Capitol Hill and Mount Vernon. We offer particular thanks to those supporters, sponsors and alumni who joined us for our Academy special events. During the Leadership & Mentoring Roundtable, Jeniffer Harper-Taylor, Vice President, Siemens Foundation, expressed the essence of our Academy objectives—challenging the scholars “to prepare now to lead, and don’t let anyone outwork you.” Echoing similar views, our PSLA Career Day host, Willie Tate, Bank of America Senior Account Manager, encouraged each student to take advantage of the Academy experience, saying, “You will meet people at the Leadership Academy who will willingly help you prepare to enter the workforce.” A host of other guest speakers and presenters continually reinforced their sentiments throughout the Academy.

We were especially delighted to have many former interns join us again this year. Hosting the Alumni Luncheon, sponsored by former interns, Howard Jean, ’04 PSLA, commented, “We are pleased to give back to the Academy. Your support to us continues to make a difference in our lives.” Our mentoring efforts continue to improve. This year we added several new mentors to the PSLA Mentoring Network. Students left the residential academy with an assigned mentor, committed to supporting them throughout the coming year and beyond.

While welcoming the students and guests to the Bank of America-sponsored Scholarship Dinner, Joe Johnson, Director, Bank of America Private Bank, reiterated his organization’s support of PSLA, stating, “Bank of America is proud to be part of this great program and I look forward to being a member of the mentoring network.” During the annual PSLA Business Etiquette Dinner, the Alliance Partners gave our 2007 Leadership Award to Enlightened Corporation for their long time support to PSLA. In presenting the award, GEN (Ret) George Bowman, Alliance Board Member, thanked Antwayne Ford and Andre Rodgers, Enlightened executives, “for going above and beyond the call of duty to develop tomorrow’s leaders.” Accepting the honor, Ford acknowledged, “PSLA is the best investment we can make for our company. We are proud to be part of and totally committed to this outstanding program.”

Again this year, we welcomed additional universities and scholars from affiliated programs to include the College Assisted Migrant Program (CAMP), Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources & Related Sciences (MANRRS), and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). Kristen Thin Elk, Sinte Gleska University, commented, “PSLA is a wonderful program and is really needed in the Native American community.” Similarly, Loyd McClary, TMCF scholar, shared his thoughts: “PSLA is a great experience for me. This far exceeded my expectations and definitely prepares me to enter the national workforce.”

As in past years, the final project was an excellent summary and corroboration of the curriculum objectives—teamwork, innovation and critical thinking. Working in small groups, students developed a business plan and marketing strategy for a “new product” for each of our major sponsors—DuPont, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Enlightened and Siemens Foundation. Serving as chairperson for the PSLA Senior Review Panel, Artencia Hawkins-Bell, Raytheon Corporation, said, “This is a great exercise for the students. We can give them real world feedback on their work—just what they will need in the workplace.”

On graduation night, Steven Couch, MANRRS scholar, speaking on behalf of his fellow classmates, thanked the PiE Alliance Partners: “We are all so very thankful for what you are doing for us; our goal is to make you proud of us as we become the leaders of the 21st century.” In closing this year’s Academy, Alliance Partner Dr. Phyllis Buchanan encouraged each scholar to “build on the Academy experience and prepare today to lead tomorrow.” She thanked all the supporters, sponsors and volunteers, commenting, “This year’s class was the best ever and we look forward to 2008.