Career-Driven Bulls Dine Like a Pro
March 29, 2018 | Student-Athlete Enhancement
DINE LIKE A PRO PHOTO GALLERY
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, MARCH 29, 2018 – USF Athletics continuously prepares student-athletes to confidently enter the working world with class and Monday night was another shining example.
A total of 62 Bulls from the program's athletic teams participated in Dine Like a Pro at historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. The annual event hosted by Enhancing U and the Selmon Mentoring Institute thoroughly covers important business aspects like appropriate introduction techniques, how to develop networking skills and how to dine in an elegant manner under the tutelage of etiquette expert Kim Goddard of Proper Protocol, Inc.
"I think it's extremely valuable. It gets the student-athletes comfortable," said Kristen Harris, Director of the Selmon Mentoring Institute. "Some of them have never interacted with professionals before, so it's kind of a laid back way to transition into a networking function, or getting comfortable with speaking to professionals."
USF's largest group of participants in Dine Like a Pro history, comprised of juniors and Selmon Mentoring Institute members, picked up valuable networking tips from Goddard right from the start of the fun, two-hour event. Topics included proper introductory handshake techniques, where to place your name tag at networking events and ice-breaking strategies for initially meeting potential employers or business partners.
The Bulls then spent about 20 minutes networking with 17 professionals from various Bay Area industries. Following the networking portion, student-athletes continued their discussions with professionals from various career fields over a fabulous dinner, courtesy of Columbia owner and super USF supporter Richard Gonzmart.
"Some student-athletes say they were extremely nervous, but their professionals at the table were really cool an easy to talk to," Harris said.
As career chats progressed, Goddard provided dinner etiquette education throughout the three-course meal while valuable bonds were built between student-athletes and USF's very important volunteers. Monday's Dine Like a Pro professionals are successful in career fields that include business, law enforcement, health care, communications, sales, and sport and entertainment management.
"We preach, 'Reach out to the professional when you leave.' Student-athletes are gaining a connection that way," Harris said. "That portion of the night, alone, can be extremely valuable. I've had student-athletes through Dine Like a Pro be able to shadow professionals they met there."
Dine Like a Pro takes place each semester as part of the Enhancing U program, which was inspired by the late and great Lee Roy Selmon, a former USF athletic director. Learn more about Enhancing U and the Selmon Mentoring Institute HERE.
About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls' athletic program celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015, having begun with a men's soccer contest in 1965. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 12 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including four in 2016-17, and own 109 conference championships overall. Ten USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2016-17 season and nine were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a program-record 86 percent Graduation Success Rate (2016) in the last reporting, logged an annual department grade-point average over a 3.0 for the second straight year and saw 106 student-athletes earn their degree during the 2016-17 academic period.
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, MARCH 29, 2018 – USF Athletics continuously prepares student-athletes to confidently enter the working world with class and Monday night was another shining example.
A total of 62 Bulls from the program's athletic teams participated in Dine Like a Pro at historic Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. The annual event hosted by Enhancing U and the Selmon Mentoring Institute thoroughly covers important business aspects like appropriate introduction techniques, how to develop networking skills and how to dine in an elegant manner under the tutelage of etiquette expert Kim Goddard of Proper Protocol, Inc.
"I think it's extremely valuable. It gets the student-athletes comfortable," said Kristen Harris, Director of the Selmon Mentoring Institute. "Some of them have never interacted with professionals before, so it's kind of a laid back way to transition into a networking function, or getting comfortable with speaking to professionals."USF's largest group of participants in Dine Like a Pro history, comprised of juniors and Selmon Mentoring Institute members, picked up valuable networking tips from Goddard right from the start of the fun, two-hour event. Topics included proper introductory handshake techniques, where to place your name tag at networking events and ice-breaking strategies for initially meeting potential employers or business partners.
The Bulls then spent about 20 minutes networking with 17 professionals from various Bay Area industries. Following the networking portion, student-athletes continued their discussions with professionals from various career fields over a fabulous dinner, courtesy of Columbia owner and super USF supporter Richard Gonzmart.
"Some student-athletes say they were extremely nervous, but their professionals at the table were really cool an easy to talk to," Harris said.
As career chats progressed, Goddard provided dinner etiquette education throughout the three-course meal while valuable bonds were built between student-athletes and USF's very important volunteers. Monday's Dine Like a Pro professionals are successful in career fields that include business, law enforcement, health care, communications, sales, and sport and entertainment management."We preach, 'Reach out to the professional when you leave.' Student-athletes are gaining a connection that way," Harris said. "That portion of the night, alone, can be extremely valuable. I've had student-athletes through Dine Like a Pro be able to shadow professionals they met there."
Dine Like a Pro takes place each semester as part of the Enhancing U program, which was inspired by the late and great Lee Roy Selmon, a former USF athletic director. Learn more about Enhancing U and the Selmon Mentoring Institute HERE.
About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls' athletic program celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015, having begun with a men's soccer contest in 1965. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 12 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, including four in 2016-17, and own 109 conference championships overall. Ten USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2016-17 season and nine were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a program-record 86 percent Graduation Success Rate (2016) in the last reporting, logged an annual department grade-point average over a 3.0 for the second straight year and saw 106 student-athletes earn their degree during the 2016-17 academic period.
– #GoBulls –
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