Make Your Success A Reality

Our Success Session seminars are geared toward African American and Hispanic students – youth who may be straddling the fence between academic complacency and meaningful engagement.

Through moderated panel discussions, students are provided the opportunity to learn from and interact with successful business and community leaders who speak with authenticity and cultural credibility while reinforcing the Compelling Why pillars of the importance and value of education, purpose, personal responsibility and active engagement.

The pillars are reinforced through panelist personal stories and strategies for surmounting obstacles. Panelists provide inspiration and motivation to youth who too often are without positive role models in their lives.

Students are challenged with a call-to-action to engage in programs that prepare them for success in college and career. Academic enrichment and youth development programs, already available on their campuses and in their communities, are featured during an Opportunity Fair – think college career fair setting – so students can easily and immediately learn more about those programs and enroll.

Seminars are held at partner university campuses and segmented by gender and ethnicity to help maximize impact on participants.

To provide schools the most flexibility, The Compelling Why now offers virtual programming options that complement our traditional in-person delivery.

To learn more, contact us here.

African American Men

Randy BowmanPresident, MW Logistics
Patrick BriggsTexas State Director, AVID
Baine BrooksOwner, Two Rows Restaurant
Councilmember, City of Allen
Carl DorvilEntrepreneur
Nakia DouglasExec Director – TRIO and Pre-Collegiate Programs, University of North Texas at Dallas
Derrick EversManaging Partner/CEO, Kazien Development Partners
Art GeorgePrincipal/The George Development Group
Retired Texas Instruments executive
Matt HoustonPrincipal, MLH Enterprises
Coach Brian KingCEO & Founder, iGlobal Coach
Dale LongSr. Community Relations Coordinator, City of Dallas
Terrence G. MaidenCEO, Russell Glen Company
Marcus MartinCEO, 2M Research Services
Prentis MurphyChief of Staff | Hybrid Solutions & Incubation, Deloitte
Michael D. PeguesShareholder, Polsinelli
Fred PerpallCEO, The Beck Group
Byron SandersPresident & CEO, Big Thought
Ronnie SpellmanCOO, Mbroh Engineering, Inc.
Joel VilmenayPresident & General Manager at WDSU-TV, New Orleans
Ronnie Wilson, JrLead Technology Project Manager, GKN Aerospace

African American Women

Tiffany M. B. AndersonAssistant Professor, Texas A&M Commerce
Annika CailPrincipal, Convince Capital Partners
Tiffani EvansSr. Project Manager, AT&T
Lyria HowlandPresident, Howland PR
Torrey LittlejohnManaging Director, JLL
Gabrielle MadisonDirector of Community Relations, Thomson Reuters
Angela MartinManaging Director & General Manager, US Strategic Distribution Group, JPMorgan Chase
April MartinHead of E-Commerce Corp Affairs and Communications, Kroger
Deanna NauglesStrategic Program & Operations Senior Manager, Accenture
Alfreda B. NormanSVP, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Cheryl RichardsonEnterprise Account Mgr, Cisco Systems
Yinka RobinsonRegional Head, External Communications & Marketing (North America), Hitachi Rail
Sandra Phillips RogersGroup VP, General Counsel, Toyota North America
Christa Brown-SanfordDept. Chair – Intellectual Property (Firmwide) Partner
Michelle R. ThomasVP, Philanthropy & Community Relations, JPMorgan Chase
Tamara UrquhartRecruitment Director, Teach for America
Nicole WashingtonDirector of Innovation and Growth, OCTANe
Frances Cudjoe WatersNational Speaker, Writer, Minister and Life Coach

Hispanic Men

Rafael AnchiaTexas State Representative
Manuel AybarManager, Industrial Engineering, Qorvo
Jose BowenFormer President, Goucher College
Former Dean, Meadows School, SMU
Andy CanalesExecutive Director, Greater Houston Latinos for Education
Jorge A. CorralDallas Office Managing Director, Accenture
Marcus DuronPrincipal, Rocky Duron & Associates
Jorge Luis EstradaCommunity Outreach Representative, Dallas Police Dept.
Edwin FloresManaging Partner, Chalker Flores LLP
Richard GarzaPrincipal, Garza Program Management
Victor GarzaFounder, Owner and CCO, Garza Financial Planning
Adan GonzalezExecutive Director, Puede Network!
Alfonso J. HerreraAttorney at Law, Rad Law Firm
Pete LermaPrincipal & Founder, Richards/Lerma
Jaime LunaAssociate Director, Supply Chain, Raytheon
Chris MacFarlandExecutive Chairman and CTO, Masergy
R. Mateo MagdalenoChief Education Officer, IDQ Group
Carlos MoralesPartner, Freidman & Fieger
Mauricio NavarroPresident, RAIZ Inc.
JJ PonceSVP of Community Development, Texas Capital Bank
Arturo Sanchez, IIIDeputy Director, External Relations, NASA Johnson Space Center
Rawly SanchezFormer, Assistant Superintendent, Tyler ISD
Alejandro Sanchez SobrinoFormer, GM Telemundo, Orlando, ZGS Communications
Miguel SolisChief of Staff, The Commit Partnership
Joe PosadaDirector, Underserved Student Services
Jeronimo ValdezManaging Partner, Valdez | Washington
Isaul VerdinCounselor, Verdin Law
Luis ZambranoPartner, Miller, Eagan, Molter & Nelson, LLP

Hispanic Women

Diana F. AguirreDirector of Development and Alumni Relations, University of Texas at Dallas
Lily AndersonGo To Market Strategy Consultant, Rixon Technology
Michelle BobadillaSenior Associate VP for Outreach Services, UT Arlington
Patricia Rodriguez ChristianPresident, CRC Group
Marisha DavisManager, Corporate Events|Technology, Keurig Dr Pepper
Hilda C. GalvanPartner-in-Charge Dallas, Jones Day
Florencia Velasco FortnerPresident & CEO, The Concilio
Cassandra GandaraLawyer, Gandara & Gonzalez
Gloria LopezFounder & Co-CEO, Josephine Torres Cultural & Comm Ctr
Ashley ParedezNightside News Reporter at ABC15 Arizona
M. Elizabeth Cedillo-Pereira, Esq.Assistant City Manager, City of Dallas
Ana RodriguezExecutive Director, Latino Leadership Initiative, SMU Cox School of Business
Alice RodriguezSenior Advisor, Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase
Gail SalcidoVP, General Counsel, Fluor Corporation
Natalie SolisAnchor / Reporter, KDFW Fox 4
Nina VacaChairman & CEO, Pinnacle Group
Abigail WilliamsPresident & Founder, United to learn
Ashley ZárateJD Candidate, Baylor University School of Law
Ivonne ZambranoVP, Residential Sales, Wingert Real Estate

View Compelling Why Success Session

Recent Panelists

The Impact of Compelling Success Sessions

  • Increase each student’s level of engagement. Research shows students who are behaviorally, emotionally and cognitively engaged in school are more likely to achieve positive academic outcomes.
  • Expose students to accomplished role models with whom they relate to culturally. Students served seldom see themselves reflected in the myriad of careers and occupations to which they might aspire.
  • Connect students to the resources needed to achieve their college and career goals.

See our results

In Their Own Words

Listen to these speakers share words of wisdom on education and achieving success. View all videos.

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