Student Success Story – SUNO

By Joe Marion – Director Career and VA Affairs – Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO)

I have been in Career Affairs at SUNO since 1982. SUNO has developed a very successful relationship with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).

Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO)

New Orleans, LAA

Major: Marketing/Sales

Hometown: New Orleans, LA

Employer: Altria Group Distribution Company, New Orleans, LA

Job Title: Territory Sales Manager

Brian Grant is a 2014 graduate of SUNO’s AACSB accredited College of Business & Public Administration. He received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration. While completing his studies, Brian was a very active student in the College of Business. He was crowned the first King of the College of Business & Public Administration in 2012-2013. Mr. Grant was also a part of the National Black MBA, where he served as Vice President of SUNO’s Chapter in 2013-2014. During Mr. Grant’s tenure at SUNO, he was very involved and dedicated

student. He served in many leadership roles at the university. In 2012, Mr. Grant was elected Student Government Association Vice- President. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Brian advanced and served as the SGA President in 2013. During that term, he also served as the Elections Commissioner–at-Large for the Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents. Mr. Grant is proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. where he served as the Chapter President in 2013-2014 academic year.

Brian Grant served two consecutive years (2012 and 2013) as a Student Ambassador in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Leadership Institute. During Brian’s TMCF student leadership tenure, he managed to land an opportunity to intern with Eli Lilly & Company as a sales intern in the Diabetes Division the summer of 2013 in New Orleans, LA. Shortly after completing his internship with Eli Lilly & Company, Mr. Grant decided pharmaceutical sales was not the direction he wanted to take; although he has stated, “I wouldn’t take back any of the scientific knowledge and professional development Eli & Lilly Company taught me!” After this internship, Brian was again chosen for the Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C. (where he was offered a full–time position with the Altria Group Distribution Company (AGDC) as a Territory Sales Manager, in New Orleans, Louisiana). Mr. Grant accepted the offer and is now gainfully employed with the company. Brian stated, he was offered the internship with Eli Lilly & Company and full–time position with AGDC because he displayed discipline, dedication, a passion to succeed, an open mind and a willingness to learn, to be innovative, an ambitious drive, leadership and finally the confidence that the recruiters at the TMCF Leadership Institute were seeking.

Brian Grant has been employed with Altria Group Distribution Company for a year and six months; within his first year with the company, Mr. Grant managed to be named one of the Top 5 Sales Managers within his Unit, District and Section of the company–for outstanding distribution yearly growth within one of Altria’s servicing companies (e.g., John Middleton Company). Because of his continuing commitment to SUNO, Brian recently came back to SUNO to participate in TMCF’s student recruitment fair for the 2015 Leadership Institute. Brian talked to this year’s prospective participants about his pass success stories with TMCF Leadership Institute and how he felt they should prepare for the Leadership Institute (“Where education truly pays off!”). There are careers, internships, networking opportunities, graduate/professional school information, and empowering business sessions that are available to them by participating in the TMCF Leadership Institute. Brian feels that if students attend The Leadership Institute they will leave better prepared for career opportunities.

Joe W. Marion

Director Career and VA Affairs

Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO)

New Orleans, LA

I have been in Career Affairs at SUNO since 1982. SUNO has developed a very successful relationship with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). TMCF offers students enrolled in public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (e.g., public HBCUs) the opportunity to participate in programs and activities that enrich their opportunities for career successes. In past years, several SUNO College of Business graduates have obtained career positions as a direct result of participating in the TMCF Leadership Institute.

The Leadership Institute gives HBCU students the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. for an all-expense paid three-day workshop on resume’ writing, interview techniques, and job contact opportunities. TMCF’s Leadership Institute will have 300 students (from public HBCUs) and more than 20 nation-wide employers participate in the workshop that is held every fall. Each spring semester, SUNO’s Career Affairs Office helps prepare the students interested in participating in this workshop by prepping the students on interview questions, interview dress requirements, business decorum, and GPA requirements.