Leadership Academy Recognized by National Organization

LUBBOCK, Texas – The J.T. and Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy was recognized as one of two Model Practice Award winners Friday for its work with the annual Suited for Success Career Series.

The leadership academy was honored for its work in student-athlete development, one of two areas the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A) presents its awards to each year.

"We are extremely proud of the Suited for Success Career Series," said Amy Heard, the Senior Associate Athletics Director for leadership development. "This program brings the resources of our university, corporate and community partners together to benefit the career skills development of our student-athletes.

"The program is award winning because of the people; success is wrapped up in the people that support it. We are grateful to the variety of professionals and companies who invest their time in our Suited for Success program."

Under Heard's direction, the Suited for Success Career Series recently completed its fifth year in preparing Tech student-athletes for success after graduation. The program has seen more than 500 participants and grown to include more focused sessions, guest speakers and a three-day career tour with job shadowing and an executive panel. The career series includes sessions pertaining to resume building, personal branding and image training, dining etiquette, interview training and networking skills.

Destini Dulin, an assistant director for career and student-athlete development, oversees the program and the various components through the spring. At the end of each year, every student-athlete who participates in the series hand-picks their own business attire to wear to a celebratory dinner. The suit is not just a one-night rental, either. It is each student-athletes to keep to prepare them for their own professional career.

The career series was the brainchild of Hall of Fame coach Marsha Sharp, who inspired the creation of the J.T. and Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy in 2014. Since then, the J.T. and Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy has focused on its mission to equip student-athletes to discover, prepare, implement and empower themselves in the four focus areas of career, character, leadership and wellness.

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 the curriculum Heard and her staff develop. The 2019 career series featured 83 participating student-athletes this spring, the largest class since its inception. The resume book from this year's class is accessible at Resume Book, 2019 Suited for Success

Texas Tech Athletics and the J.T. and Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy continue to dedicate their efforts to molding Fearless Champions on the field, in the classroom, and in the workplace, and the 2019 Suited for Success Career Series and Career Tour are simply other steps along this journey.

To learn more about the success of the J.T. and Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy, follow @JTMTalkingtonLA on Twitter.

Texas Tech University Athletics

Leadership Academy Recognized by National Organization

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