Staying Equipped: MANRRS Promotes Professional Development During Career Week

Professional development is arguably a cornerstone for career success for many college students. With this, a major part of preparing students for their careers is ensuring that they wear the appropriate business attire and having solid resumes. Aiding in helping students with these tasks is an organization aimed at providing resources to students, the Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) association.
On Thursday, February 22, 2024, MANRRS hosted the second in a series of events tilted “Mind Your MANRRS: Wear and Share,” where, in their own words, the objective was to, “equip students in CAHES (College of Agriculture, Human and Environmental Sciences) with knowledge and skills to present themselves professionally and create standout resumes for the upcoming career fair.”
A host of students gathered in Pinkie Thrift Hall for the opportunity to advance their professional aptitudes. With a menu provided by Aramark Dining, MANNRS welcomed students into an environment of learning with a presentation titled “Professional Attire: 101,” presented by Mrs. Tamara Foster-Montgomery, Executive Director of the Career Services Center at Southern University.
After dissecting more about her position, Montgomery delved into what was deemed appropriate when “dressing for success.” “We want to make sure that when we go out into a professional setting that we’re putting our best foot forward… Before they know anything about you or have heard you speak, what do they see? They see you,” expressed Montgomery to the attentive group of students. From suitable tie colors to appropriate heel heights, students were coached on presenting themselves in a standard work setting. “At Southern University we represent the best and the brightest, so it’s important that you look the part,” continued Montgomery.
After Montgomery concluded her presentation, members of the MANRRS association shared their own perspectives of professional development. Amongst these members were President, Jordan Johnson, Vice President, Sterling Brown, and Parliamentarian, Ki’Aunysti Brown.
To delve deeper into the goals of the program, the Southern Digest caught up with MANRRS after the event, with Sterling Brown, a senior Agri-Business major from Alexandria, Louisiana, stating, “The main objective for the event was to equip students in the College of Agriculture, Human and Environmental Sciences with knowledge and skills to present themselves professionally at the career fair.” In addition to the Career Fair hosted by Career Services, the Agriculture department hosts a separate career fair tailored to CAHES students.
When asked if he believed these goals were accomplished, Brown continued, “I believe these goals were accomplished throughout the entire workshop, especially due to our Guest Speaker Mrs. Tamara Foster-Montgomery… in which she covered all our goals and gave a plethora of knowledge to our students to help them succeed in the professional world.”
The thought process behind this event, according to the organization, was initiated by MANRRS secretary, Colby Bonier, who saw the need for professional development for students at Southern University. “MANRRS has a good amount of students that could use help with the transition from high school to college, then into the real world,” stated President Johnson, a senior majoring in Plant and Oil Science from Memphis, Tennessee. Instead of shunning these students for their lack of knowledge, Johnson claims “We are trying to provide an opportunity to make these instances easier for our members.”
According to the MANRRS national website, www.manrrs.org, access is a foundational aspect of the organization: “Our Mission at MANRRS is to promote academic and professional advancement by empowering minorities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. Here, you have a valuable voice, and your participation matters.”
Despite misconceptions that the organization is just for agriculture majors, MANRRS encourages students of all majors to be involved in their programming by coming to events, meetings, and following them on Instagram @manrrsatsu.