Walker College of Business

The fall Courageous Conversations: Indigenous Identities panel discussion and cultural experience, initially scheduled for October 23, 2024, was canceled due to circumstances created by Hurricane Helene. In partnership with the Student American Indian Movement, the 2024 event  has now been rescheduled and will be held on April 7, 2025, in collaboration with the college's Shared Reading initiative.

The spring Courageous Conversations panel discussion, Straight Talk on Navigating the Career Maze: Insights from Black Alumni, took place on Wednesday, February 21, 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. in the Parkway Ballroom, Plemmons Student Union, with a reception to follow. Catering for the reception was provided by Big Brose BBQ. Black alumni of the Walker College of Business shared their experiences navigating the job search and finding the right fit during their first steps on their chosen career paths. In this Q&A panel, alumni discussed their paths - including challenges, opportunities, and successes -  and gave insight on how to handle bias, navigate barriers, and identify - or create - a welcoming and inclusive workplace. View event photos here.

Moderators:

• Amaya Crawford, Senior in the Walker College of Business majoring in International Business and Digital Marketing
• JaVon Siddle, Junior in the Walker College of Business majoring in Accounting

Panelists: 

• Mariah Breeze, Senior Solutions Consultant at Genesys in Cary, NC
• Cashae Cook, Recruiter and Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement Officer at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC
• Natazhia Lovett, Senior Independent Testing Specialist at Wells Fargo in Charlotte, NC
• Kwani Taylor, Master's Candidate, Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC

The spring 2023 Courageous Conversations event took place on Wednesday, February 22 at 5:00 pm in the Broyhill Music Center Rosen Concert Hall. A reception and book signing followed. Traci Royster, Director of Staff Development & Strategic Initiatives in the Office of Student Affairs, moderated a candid discussion on life and work in Boone with local residents of the Junaluska neighborhood, a historically Black community in the High Country. The multi-generational panel brought together community members whose career paths have included work at Appalachian State University. Distinguished panelists included Anitra Ball, Administrative Support Associate for App State’s Intercultural Student Affairs; Wanda Coles, Retiree of the Child Development Center; Roberta Jackson, Member of the Junaluska Heritage Society; and Lynn Patterson, University Program Specialist at Belk Library. The event was inspired by ”Junaluska: Oral Histories of a Black Appalachian Community,” a collection of interviews of community residents spanning multiple generations, and both the University Common Reading selection and the Walker College of Business Shared Reading selection. The event was sponsored in part by the Appalachian State University Office of Diversity. View photos from the event. Read an article about this event.

Panelists Kathleen Harb ‘20, Eli Stroud '22 and Dawn Medlin discussed First Gen Identity: From College to Career. These alumni shared their experiences transitioning to the next stage of life and the unique challenges and strengths that go along with first-gen identity status. Senior marketing major Andrea Gonzalez, assistant director of the Business for Good Residential Learning Community, moderated the panel. Read the news post.

The Spring 2022 Courageous Conversations Panel Discussion: How to have bold, inclusive conversations, took place on Thursday, February 10 at 6 pm  via Zoom. Panelists were: SPX FLOW Vice President of Global Operations Meshach Cleary, Walgreens Executive Vice President and Global Chief Legal Officer Danielle Gray, Truist Senior Vice President of Life and Financial Planning James “J.K.” Reaves ’93 and Bee’s Sweet Eats Owner Brenda Young. Moderators were:  Amaya Crawford, International Business and Marketing major, Fleming Scholar and Celeste Ramseur, Supply Chain Management major, Fleming Scholar.