Bennett College was based in 1873 within the basement of St. Matthews Methodist Episcopal Church in Greensboro, NC. They are one in all solely two all–ladies, Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) within the United States — and their mission is to organize “women of color through a transformative liberal arts education to lead with purpose, integrity, and a strong sense of self-worth.” I encourage you to learn extra about their wealthy “herstory” right here in honor of Women’s History Month.
At Cisco, we’ve taken appreciable steps to struggle injustice and inequity around the globe. One of probably the most highly effective examples of the daring actions we’re taking is our $150 million dedication to protect the legacy and sustainability of HBCUs by means of Social Justice Action 8.
While that dedication consists of driving expertise modernization and bettering STEM schooling at HBCUs, Cisco is actively investing into the way forward for their college students as properly — and I’m proud to say that these investments continued earlier this month at Bennett College.
We are constructing a bridge with Bennett College
Bennett College has been a non-public, four-year traditionally black liberal arts faculty for girls since 1926. Over the course of our relationship, we have now labored to ascertain Bennett College as a Networking Academy, offered scholar recruiting help, provided steering on funding grants, and helped improve their community safety for distant studying by means of a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Assessment. In addition, Bennett College has requested mentorship, job shadowing, and visitor lectures by Cisco professionals to organize Bennett college students for all times after faculty. These alternatives align with Action 8 initiatives and can allow Cisco to proceed to help the sustainability and legacy of Bennett College.
Women of coloration typically face racism and discrimination in educational {and professional} environments. HBCUs like Bennett College provide the benefit of offering a supportive, inclusive, and justice-oriented strategy to schooling. Bennett College operationalizes scholar help by means of particular convocations, lectures, and seminars that comprise their Academic Cultural Enrichment Series (ACES) collection, which is designed to reinforce the cultural and mental improvement of the scholar inhabitants. Cisco’s dedication to delivering scholar success, accelerating younger AA/B expertise, and making a long-lasting influence for generations to come back gives a wonderful basis for a symbiotic partnership with Bennett College and augments scholar help.
As the Executive Sponsor for Bennett College, I labored with Wesley Carter, CX Sr. Program Manager, and Bennett College to create an ACES occasion that delivered an essential message to Bennett’s liberal arts college students:
You don’t need to main within the pc sciences subject to be helpful to a expertise firm like Cisco!
It’s a robust message, and one which we are able to regularly construct upon to point out Bennett college students that even entry-level digital and cybersecurity expertise can improve their aggressive edge, it doesn’t matter what they select for his or her profession path. Dr. Santiba Campbell, Director of Academic Special Initiatives for Bennett College, steered an all-woman panel and give attention to liberal arts, as an alternative of STEM, as a result of Bennett College is predominately a liberal arts faculty.
An overview of our Women in Cisco Panel Discussion in March of 2023
One of crucial points of this occasion was the evidence-based strategy. It was kicked off by our personal Shaina Tamburr, VP, CX Programs & Compliance, and featured a panel of numerous, liberal arts-educated, profitable ladies from completely different areas inside Cisco — starting from challenge administration to gross sales and advertising. These profitable ladies got here collectively to share their distinctive profession tales and life experiences, in addition to welcome Bennett College’s liberal arts college students to have interaction with Cisco. We doubled down on Cisco’s dedication to scholar success by inviting our Emerging Talent Diversity Engagement Team to create a portal particularly for college students to add their resume and be thought of for future Cisco alternatives!
The connection between the audio system and college students was palpable — and after sharing their tales, our panelists had an opportunity to reply these insightful questions in entrance of scholars:
- What has been probably the most important barrier in your profession?
- How have mentors helped you develop as a pacesetter? What was your path to get there?
- What recommendation would you give your 21-year-old self?
As the occasion concluded, the scholars have been supplied with contact data for all of the panelists so they may attain out and ask questions to organize themselves for a profession within the tech business.
This was an unimaginable occasion for Bennett College
Speakers included Shaina Tamburr, Claudia Kittredge, and Wesley Carter.
The Women in Cisco occasion was successful for Bennett College as a result of it offered college students with helpful insights into working within the tech business, in addition to a chance to community with profitable liberal arts majors — together with two alumnae from Bennett College!
But most of all, this was an ideal step in strengthening the connection between Bennett College and Cisco:
“I hope both of you are doing well and still glowing from a great experience Friday at Bennett College! Thank you for all of the hard work in planning, organizing and communicating for the Women in Cisco ACES panel. I look forward to more opportunities and sponsorships for us to work together.” — Dr. Santiba Campbell, Director of Academic Special Initiatives, Bennett College
I’m genuinely proud to be a part of an organization that’s dedicated to not solely creating alternative and publicity within the IT subject to non-technical college students, but in addition to the strategic restoration, sustainability, and legacy of HBCUs like Bennett College.
Let’s proceed to work collectively to energy an inclusive future for all by figuring out extra methods to remodel our beliefs into motion, particularly as we rejoice Women’s History Month. I additionally encourage you to register for the International Girls in ICT Day occasion on April 27th, 2023 to find out how wonderful ladies are utilizing expertise to deal with local weather change.
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