Shadowing their futures? USF, Manasota Black Chamber partner for student mentoring program
The University of South Florida, which three years ago debuted “Shadow Day,” short for “Shadow an Executive Day,” with the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, has expanded the program’s umbrella.
New to the partnership this year is the Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce. The mentoring program matches students from the Sarasota-Manatee campus with local executives to help them make informed career choices.
The Manasota Black Chamber Shadow Day program is set for Feb. 12 and will be held virtually because of COVID-19 protocols. The Manatee Chamber of Commerce Shadow Day follows on Feb. 26, followed by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce on March 26.
“I am excited about the upcoming USF Shadow Day partnership with the Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce,” Corey Posey, diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity officer for the Sarasota-Manatee campus, said in a press release. “It will provide our students with critical mentorship opportunities as they prepare for careers that ultimately impact our Sarasota-Manatee community.”
Karen A. Holbrook, regional chancellor for the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, and Jazmyne Barney, regulatory affairs manager at Procter & Gamble, will take part in Shadow Day along with six students.
“It is extremely important to provide students an opportunity to truly glimpse through the lenses of different business owners and learn about different trades, day-to-day operations and people of different economic backgrounds,” Tarnisha L. Cliatt, Manasota Chamber president, said in the press release.
“I believe this program will show how more alike we are, but also highlight the differences that we know exist. The business members are grateful to be able to pay it forward and hopefully to leave a lasting impression on the students they are paired with during the day,” Cliatt said.
The Shadow Day partnership comes as USF works to increase its contracts with vendors of diverse backgrounds, boost efforts to recruit Black students, faculty and staff, and enact other measures to advance diversity.
Last month, the Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce and USF announced they were partnering on an online seminar for small business owners on how to register as a vendor to do business with USF.
Posey and Cliatt first met last summer to lay the groundwork for greater outreach between USF and chamber members, including possible vendor opportunities with the university.
“The Shadow Day program provides students from the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge while developing skills in the authentic context of the workplace, and we are thrilled to welcome the Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce to the program,” Jay Riley, director of business outreach and engagement at the campus, said in the press release.
“This program is a valuable tool to assist students as they discern their careers and look toward the next chapter of their lives,” Riley said.
To learn more about the Shadow Day program visit the USF Sarasota-Manatee web page.
