Event Kickoff

Opening remarks from Will Moss, CEO

Welcome and special HBCU Connect Scholarship Announcement.

Register to get the session links

Career Fair Opens

The exhibitor hall stays open all day. Visit a booth whenever you are between sessions.

Career Search Best Practices

U.S. Bank

Navigating today’s job market requires more than simply submitting applications. This interactive workshop is designed to equip participants with the essential tools and strategies needed to conduct an effective and successful career search. Attendees will learn how to create a polished, professional resume through proper formatting techniques, understand common resume dos and don’ts, craft a compelling professional summary statement, and review examples of effective resumes that capture employer attention. The session will also provide valuable interview tips, including what recruiters evaluate before, during, and after an interview. In addition, participants will gain insight into interviewing with hiring managers, including how to prepare before the interview, understand the purpose and structure of behavioral interviewing, and confidently communicate their experiences using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. By the end of the workshop, participants will be better prepared to market their skills, make a strong impression throughout the hiring process, and increase their confidence in pursuing career opportunities.

Valerie Davis

Sr. Program Manager

Valerie Davis is an Assistant Vice President and Project Manager on U.S. Bank’s Early Career Talent team, where she leads initiatives that support students and emerging professionals in launching successful careers. With extensive experience in talent attraction, internship and fellowship programming, and candidate development, she partners with business leaders, universities, and community organizations to create meaningful career opportunities. Valerie is passionate about helping individuals navigate their career search process and build the skills needed to stand out in today’s competitive market. Through this workshop, she will share practical strategies for resume development, interviewing, and career search success.

Amplify, Don't Replace: Using AI to Elevate Your Career Search and Network

Johns Hopkins Carey Business School

Discover how to leverage AI as a tool to strengthen your career strategy while keeping the human element at the center. This session will explore practical ways to use AI for career exploration, personal branding, professional storytelling, and networking, while emphasizing the importance of authenticity, relationship-building, and your unique experiences. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for using AI intentionally to support their career journey without losing their individual voice.

Gabrielle Styles, PhD

Executive Career and Leadership Coach

Gabrielle Styles is an Executive Career and Leadership Coach at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where she supports full-time MBA students in navigating career development, leadership, and professional growth. With over ten years of experience in higher education, Gabrielle takes a holistic approach to coaching, helping individuals explore how their identities, values, and experiences shape the way they navigate work and life. She holds a Ph.D. in Counseling and Psychological Studies with a concentration in Life Coaching and is passionate about empowering individuals to lead authentically and define success on their own terms.

Future-Ready: The Human Skills That Keep Your Career Moving Forward

Greenway Health

As AI reshapes how we work, the skills that make us uniquely human are becoming more valuable. This interactive session explores how emotional intelligence, adaptability, continuous learning, and thoughtful use of AI can help professionals stay relevant, build stronger relationships, and navigate change with confidence. Participants will leave with practical strategies to strengthen their professional value, embrace new opportunities, and intentionally prepare for what's next in their careers.

Dr. Shawana Carter-Barnett

Manager, Talent Management Business Partners

Dr. Shawana Carter-Barnett is Manager, Talent Management Business Partners at Greenway Health, bringing extensive experience in human resources, organizational strategy, leadership development, and culture. She is also an educator who teaches graduate-level coursework in areas including organizational strategy, leadership, and team dynamics, and is passionate about helping people and organizations grow through empathy, accountability, and purpose-driven leadership.

Dr. Maria Martinez

Senior Manager, People & Culture

From Passion to Profession: Discovering Careers in Higher Education

South Carolina State University 1890 Research and Extension

Explore the diverse and rewarding career opportunities available in higher education, from human resources and student services to research, extension, and administration. Participants will gain insight into career pathways, professional growth opportunities, and how their skills can make a meaningful impact in educational institutions, with a spotlight on opportunities at SC State 1890 Research & Extension.

Darlayna Gardner

Human Resources Manager

Senior HR Leader & Senior Leadership Team Member | Driving Organizational Growth & Talent Strategy | SHRM-CP Candidate (Fall 2026). Strong human resources professional with a Master of Business Administration - MBA focused in Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General from Keller Graduate School of Management of Keller School of Management.

Networking for Emerging Professionals

Art Bridges Foundation

Building meaningful professional relationships starts with confidence, curiosity, and authentic connection. Join Paramita Sarkar, Internship Program Specialist at Art Bridges Foundation, for an interactive session designed to help students and emerging professionals strengthen their networking skills. Participants will learn practical strategies for making strong introductions, building lasting professional relationships, and expanding their networks both in person and online. Attendees will leave with actionable tools and increased confidence to cultivate meaningful connections and support their career growth.

Paramita Sarkar

Internship Program Specialist

Paramita Sarkar is the Internship Program Specialist at Art Bridges Foundation, where she designs and leads internship programs, professional development experiences, and mentorship opportunities that prepare emerging professionals for meaningful careers. With more than 14 years of experience spanning education, museum learning, and workforce development, she is passionate about helping students build confidence, expand their networks, and develop career-ready skills. Paramita holds master's degrees in Zoology and Education and is dedicated to creating inclusive learning experiences that connect talent with opportunity.

Negotiation Strategies for Early Career Professionals

WIN Leadership Institute

A workshop built on the WIN Framework -- Worth Identification, Intentional Preparation, Negotiation Execution -- teaching early career professionals how to negotiate an offer, a salary or a raise even when they feel they lack the experience, title or authority to ask. Most students and recent graduates are never taught this, and the gap follows them for years. Delivered previously at NSBE and at USC.

Kara Belle Arnold

Founder, WIN Leadership Institute

Founder of WIN Leadership Institute, a leadership and negotiation training business built on the WIN Framework. Has delivered this workshop at NSBE and USC.

Applying to Graduate School - Hosted by University of Chicago

University of Chicago Division of the Social Sciences

Students and Graduates are invited to learn more about the graduate school search and application process. In addition, the University of Chicago will share information about their graduate programs and what makes an ideal candidate.

Sparkle Dalphinis

Director of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment

Sparkle Dalphinis is the Director of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment for the Division of the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago. With over 14 years of experience working in undergraduate and graduate recruitment, Sparkle has dedicated her career to assisting students through their college and graduate school search and application processes. She is passionate about helping students achieve their educational goals by providing valuable information that empowers them to advocate for themselves. Sparkle also ensures that students have the knowledge to navigate different systems and secure the best educational funding opportunities.

From First Impressions to Final Follow-Ups: Mastering the Interview

Precision Castparts Corp.

Interviews can be nerve-racking, but preparation and confidence can make all the difference. Join this session to learn practical tips and strategies for every stage of the interview process, from preparing before the interview to making a lasting impression afterward.

Chelsea Ewing

University Relations Program Manager, Precision Castparts Corp.

Chelsea Ewing is the University Relations Program Manager at Precision Castparts Corp. (PCC), where she leads university recruiting and helps connect students and early-career professionals with opportunities across PCC. With more than a decade of experience spanning talent acquisition, university relations, internship management, and career development, Chelsea is passionate about helping individuals discover meaningful career paths and reach their full potential.

Beyond the Résumé: Build Your AI Career & Opportunity Portfolio Workshop

Synergistic Strategic Solutions

A working session, not a presentation. You will build the first blocks of your own AI Equity Opportunity Portfolio, using Afrofuturistic thinking, Sankofa, Ubuntu and AI to map what you already hold — identity, knowledge, skills, lived experience, relationships and community assets — into real opportunities across careers, entrepreneurship, consulting, intellectual property, fellowships and income streams. Bring a blank Google Sheet. You will leave with something you can keep building.

Antione Hines

Chief Black Ecosystem Builder

Antione Hines is a Navy veteran, nationally recognized community leader and Black Ecosystem Architect — Founder and Chief Black Ecosystem Builder of Synergistic Strategic Solutions, and Founder and CEO of the National Black Nonprofit Alliance. Through HBCU AI and Quantum initiatives and Black women's intellectual capital development, he integrates Sankofa, Ubuntu, Afrofuturism and AI to turn identity, knowledge and community assets into income, ownership and intergenerational impact.

Event Closing Remarks

Event Close with Will Moss, CEO, and the Team at HBCU CONNECT