UPLIFT leadership retreat begins for HBCU students

It’s back-to-school season and for a few college students, that includes some professional development training with Mississippi Power.

Ten students from three of the state’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities gathered at the Eagle Ridge Conference Center in Jackson for the company’s kick-off UPLIFT leadership retreat.

“The UPLIFT leadership development program was designed to support efforts to keep Mississippi’s best and brightest talent in our state after they graduate,” said Community Development Representative and UPLIFT Facilitator Joy Saucier. “We’re so excited to launch this program and connect with a group of diverse young leaders as they transition from college to career.”

UPLIFT participants are either juniors or seniors at their universities and were nominated to participate in the program by their school based on their leadership qualities. Students come from around the state and are pursuing a variety of majors.

As the fall semester continues, the students will participate in monthly sessions and meet regularly with an assigned mentor. The two-day leadership retreat focuses on team-building, building effective interpersonal skills, discovering strengths and learning leadership styles.

“This has been a great experience so far,” said Senior Mathematics Major Albert Jackson. “It was an honor to be selected by my university, and it makes me feel like all my hard work has been recognized. I’m looking forward to the rest of the UPLIFT program.”

Now in its 97th year of operations, Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and affordable energy for nearly 191,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Mississippi Power recently was a recipient of the Community Partner Impact Award from the Center for Energy Workforce Development for its innovative and ongoing efforts to build a diverse workforce. With nearly 160 megawatts of approved solar energy capacity, Mississippi Power is the largest partner in providing renewable energy in the state of Mississippi. Visit our websites at mississippipower.com and mississippipowernews.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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