ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Claflin University students got firsthand experience over two days from a company based out of Los Angeles.
J.T. Saunders is the chief diversity officer at the organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry.
He says their visit to Claflin University this week is to help students prepare for the professional world.
"One of the tag lines of this experience is about living life by design and not by default, and we want to talk to them about how to make purposeful choices, to be intentional about what they do, and more importantly, sometimes there are tradeoffs," Saunders said. "And we know that we need to manage through them."
Students took several Korn Ferry sessions exploring their purpose, cultural alignment, critical issues building their professional brand and more.
Nailah Outing, a student at Claflin University, said these sessions taught her about self-growth.
"It was very collaborative like we were talking with our fellow peers," said Outing. "Hearing what their brand statements where how it was a reflection of their passions, their purpose. It was really impactful because it was very reflective. Because I think that's one of the strongest places is when we become a leader is when we reflect on who we are and what strengths we bring to the world."
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Saunders says teaching students about the self-brand they create is essential.
"We want to talk to them about confidence. We've been talking about their personal brand," said Saunders.
The conference aims for students to have an enhanced personal, interpersonal and organizational awareness.