Posted on November 8, 2019 by Wendy Frost
Four business students from The University of Texas at San Antonio participated in the BE SMART Dell Innovation Lab this fall in Austin. Participants were Bryce Hudson, Shakera Flores, Bhavjett Sachdeva and Natalie Torresdey.
The event was organized to bring more diverse young talent into the tech pipeline. During the two-day event students from 14 HBCUs and Texas universities received professional coaching and mentoring and attended presentations focusing on professional development.
“My experience at the Dell Be Smart event was extremely eye-opening and most importantly fun,” said Torresdey, a senior majoring in finance. “I left the conference having a better understanding of new technology, work ethic and most importantly new friendships.”
The 56 students were also presented with a business challenge to create an app to help Dell recruit and retain diverse talent. Participants also toured the Dell corporate tour, met with recruiters and attended networking events to round out the program.
“This experience was truly inspiring and eye-opening to know there are people of color in power in the tech industry,” said Hudson, a junior majoring in cyber security. “As a minority, it is sometimes hard to believe that you can achieve greatness when you do not see people who look like you in high positions at great corporations. I had such a great time networking with Dell employees as well as other students from all other walks of life.”
— Wendy Frost
