The Department of Human Resources, Organization, and Employee Development at the University of Memphis is making a big impact on the community. In keeping with the President’s community service initiative, Human Resources has launched its first Minority Male Initiative. The initiative will feature a series of workshops to give minority men at both the University and in the Memphis community opportunities for networking, leadership development, career enhancement, and career development.

The Department held its first workshop on October 28th entitled, “Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.” The workshop featured presentations from Shannon Brown, Chief Human Resources and Diversity Officer from FedEx; Robert White, Chief of Staff for the City of Memphis; Dr. Wesley Fox, Department Head of Business and Legal Studies at Southwest Tennessee Community College; and Lonnie Latham, retired Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs for the University of Memphis. Sixty-one people attended the event and sixty percent of attendees came from the community. Attendees who were currently unemployed had an opportunity for one-on-one mentoring with workshop leaders.

The next workshop is planned for December 9th from 5:30 – 7:00 pm in the University Center Bluff Room (room 304). The workshop will feature information on dressing for success, resume writing, preparing for interviews, and interview follow-up. Additional workshops are planned for 2015, and the Department hopes to reach an even broader community of minority males in future workshops.

Iliana Ricelli, senior director in the Department, explains that “this is a Human Resources initiative, but the HR Department could not have done this alone.” The Diversity Initiatives Office of the University of Memphis has been instrumental in providing support to sustain this programming. The University of Memphis appreciates the work of the Department of Human Resources, Organization, and Employee Development and its impact on our community.