Suited for Success Career Series Honors Participants During Celebratory Dinner

LUBBOCK, Texas – Life is not fair. Everything needed to pursue bold goals and visions comes from within. Finally, remember where you came from.

That was the message Wednesday night by Darrice Griffin during the fourth-annual Suited for Success celebratory dinner held at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center on the Texas Tech campus.

Griffin, a former Lady Raider basketball standout and the current Deputy Director for Administration at the University of Georgia, was the keynote speaker for the annual event that celebrated 60-plus Texas Tech student-athletes who completed the Suited for Success Career Series sponsored through the J.T. and Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy.

"My student-athlete experience did not go the way that I had hoped for," said Griffin, a former Gatorade Texas Player of the Year who suffered multiple knee injuries during her Tech career. "But I am the person and the professional that I am because of that experience. I feel an obligation and grave responsibility to serve student-athletes for this very reason."

Griffin's address was an uplifting message of encouragement to a group of student-athletes who will soon no longer wear the scarlet and black uniforms they have been accustomed to the past few years.

In the upcoming months, each student-athlete will earn their respective degree from Tech and begin their professional career with paths ranging from engineers to accountants to nutritionists.

"Whatever your field of interest, be able to articulate the reasons behind why you do what you do," Griffin said. "I encourage each of you to choose life, choose happiness, choose peace. Choose being better than you were yesterday. Choose serving others passionately."

Had a great time at tonight's Suited For Success event. Looking sharp, guys! #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/PbRsKBrNsd
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) April 19, 2018

Griffin's message was a charge to take the lessons learned over the past year in the Suited for Success Career Series and apply it to whatever path each senior will take following graduation.

The Suited for Success Career Series is a cornerstone of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy as it focuses on training student-athletes in interview skills, individualized career assessments and counseling, resume building, etiquette training and networking skills over six sessions each semester.

At the end of each year, every student-athlete who completed the series hand-picks their own business attire to wear to the celebratory dinner.

The suit is not just a one-night rental, either. It is each student-athletes to keep to prepare them for their professional career.

"I'm very thankful for Texas Tech preparing us for life after football," said senior linebacker Dakota Allen, who sported a dark navy suit. Allen was one of 24 football student-athletes alone who went through the career series.

So glad our seniors got to be a part of last night's Suited for Success Career Series dinner! #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/95xOMc1SQc
— TTU Track & Field/XC (@TTU_TF_XC) April 19, 2018

The career series was the brainchild of Hall of Fame coach Marsha Sharp, who inspired the creation of the J.T. & Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy in 2014. Since then, the leadership academy has focused on providing advantages to student-athletes through classroom education, community engagement, leadership training and the aptly-named Suited for Success Career Series.

Tech brings in successful local business leaders throughout the year to speak to student-athletes in mock interviews or leadership training sessions as part of a curriculum overseen by Amy Heard, Senior Associate Athletics Director in charge of the Talkington Leadership Academy.

"We look forward to this celebratory dinner each year," Heard said. "It is always a great sight to see the smiles on our student-athletes faces when they walk in dressed in their new suits. The professional skills our student-athletes learn in the career series will impact the rest of their lives, and we couldn't be more excited to see all the things they will accomplish."

During the dinner, each student-athlete was presented a signed certificate by Chancellor Robert Duncan and Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt, stopping on stage to pose for a quick picture in the process.

Griffin addressed the ballroom soon after, proving an example of resiliency and determination to a group of student-athletes who not long from now will begin their own career paths. Her three-point address reinforced several of the same messages Tech student-athletes learned during the career series.

"You really are fearless leaders," Griffin said. "Go forth and do some really wonderful things in your lives."

A huge thank you to former @LadyRaiderWBB @dargriff for serving as tonight's keynote speaker. Your message was inspiring as we set out to be true Fearless Champions.

"You have everything that you need within you to pursue your goals" - Darrice Griffin pic.twitter.com/YypTooiwwD
— Leadership Academy (@JTMTalkingtonLA) April 19, 2018

Texas Tech University Athletics

Suited for Success Career Series Honors Participants During Celebratory Dinner

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