Juliette McNeil doesn't shy away from being an example to others, especially to high school or college students.
McNeil, a 1975 graduate of Alabama State University, was back at her alma mater on April 15, sharing lunch with an intimate group of freshmen and sophomore honors students and empowering them with information that she hopes will guide them toward successful careers.
“We educate, but we don’t take the next step to say, ‘This is how we do it,’” McNeil said. “I’m hoping that what I’m doing will help open their eyes, because I realize that when I was in school, I had no clue of what to major in and what I was going to do with it. So, that’s my objective, because as students, we don’t always get the information we need or the practical information to be successful.”
Armed with a PowerPoint presentation and a 25-year distinguished career in the federal government, McNeil guided the students through a seminar titled “Career GPS.” The presentation provided the students with tips on how to navigate their college years in order to graduate with a job in their fields of study. Her topics included successful job interviews and the importance of internships, which she said is the best way to get a job after graduation.
“That’s how I got my first job,” McNeil said. “So many students don’t take advantage of that. I just want to provide them with information that they can apply and have a better experience overall.”
McNeil retired from her position as director of financial management for the Environmental Protection Agency in 2004, but has always had time to give back to the community, especially young people. In Virginia, she serves on several boards and organizations, and she helps her church host a college fair for high school students, which attracts thousands of students receive McNeil’s “Career GPS” tips while they’re there. McNeil said she always has had a desire to bring her career-building information to the students at ASU.
“My view is that they’re in college so that they can have a successful career,” she said. “There are so many tools out there available to them. I want to help them use (those tools) to benefit them, broaden their education base and help them with their careers and what they should pursue. If I help just one student, I will call that a success. So, it’s all about trying to help empower them with information that will help lead them to success.”
For more information on how you can give back to Alabama State University, contact ASU’s Office of Development at 334-229-4431.
Posted By: Cheer Leader
Thursday, April 17th 2014 at 4:52PM
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