Connect 2 Potential and Wendy McManus Support STARS Scholarship Recipients; Clark Roper Comments
ORLANDO, FL - Last March, Connect 2 Potential Leadership Coach Wendy McManus announced she would be mentoring the Southeast Produce Council’s (SEPC) Southeast Top Agricultural Recruits Scholarship (STARS) recipients. She is committing to the cause once again this year, preparing to support college students’ professional development in the produce industry.
“I really enjoy working with these students!” exclaims McManus. “They are smart, engaged, and hungry for what’s next. I also find that they are very interested in growing their emotional intelligence, which is my specialty. It’s an honor to serve these students, the SEPC, and the produce industry in this way.”
The STARS program students are invited to attend SEPC’s Southern Exposure conference as special guests. There, they get to network with industry members, foster relationships, and potentially secure internships or permanent positions in the produce industry, according to a press release.
Now in the third year of this partnership between McManus and SEPC, the value of this program is tested and proven. McManus invites each of the students to complete a DiSC Agile EQ Profile and schedule a one-to-one debrief with her. This assessment tool supports the students in growing their self-awareness and emotional intelligence, bringing clarity to their strengths and inviting them to choose a growth edge to work on.
For the second component, the students complete the online Authentic Networking for STARS mini course from Connect 2 Potential to help prepare them for success at Southern Exposure. Through a few short video segments, the course teaches the fundamentals of networking and conversation, including listening skills, asking great questions, and preparing an elevator pitch.
“Wendy has been a tremendous asset for the STARS program and the students. She meets each individual where they are, celebrates their strengths, and helps them get ready for the next step in their careers,” said Clark Roper, SEPC STARS Committee Co-Chair. “The mission of the STARS program is to recruit top students for job opportunities in the Southeast produce industry, and Wendy helps us do that by helping them feel prepared and welcomed in our world.”
We wish the best of luck to these aspiring students as they hit the trade show floor!
