Last month, more than 60 high-achieving students from North Carolina Central University traveled to the Gaylord National Resort for the 2025 Thurgood Marshall College Fund Leadership and Development Conference—better known as DevCon. NCCU was one of the most represented institutions at the event.
The immersive, multi-day event welcomed more than 1,000 students from more than 50 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), providing them with a platform to grow as professionals, network with top employers and strengthen their identities as emerging leaders. For NCCU students, it was a transformative experience, not just professionally but personally.
Among those returning to DevCon were sophomores Ricky Hawkins, a political science major from Phoenix, Arizona, and Riley Parker, a psychology major from Detroit, Michigan. This marked their second year at the conference, and both had a clear purpose: to maximize every opportunity.
“Last year, I didn’t really know what to expect,” Hawkins said. “I was more of an introvert. I didn’t know how to walk up to someone and start a conversation. But this year, I came in prepared. I pushed myself to network, and I feel like I really grew from the experience.”
Parker reflected on how the event aligned with her academic interests.
“As a psychology major, it felt like there weren’t many sessions specifically for me last year. But this time, I talked to the event coordinators, attended a mental health in sports workshop, and really made it my own.”
She also helped prepare fellow Eagles, who were new participants, encouraging them to update their resumes, get active on LinkedIn and not be afraid to introduce themselves.
“We didn’t let our classmates go into it blind. We told them—this is a full experience from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and it’s worth every minute,” she said.
The advice proved helpful for first-time attendees Alexander Williams, a freshman business administration major from Raleigh, North Carolina, and Olivia Perkins, a sophomore psychology major from St. Louis, Missouri, who shared that the experience was nothing short of eye-opening.
“Just seeing so many intelligent, Black students in one place—it felt empowering,” said Perkins. “At first, I was nervous. I didn’t know anyone going in. But I found support, and it reminded me that I belong in rooms like these.”
Williams, who is a Thurgood Marshall College Fund scholar, found new perspectives on leadership.
“I’ve always been about networking,” he said. “But DevCon taught me not just to look up—to professors or executives—for guidance. I learned to look across the room. My peers are building amazing things too.”
Sessions like "Careers in Sports Marketing" and “Elevate Your Pitch” left a lasting impression on many students, including Williams and Hawkins. These workshops provided practical skills, such as crafting elevator pitches and building professional networks on LinkedIn, helping refine their career goals.
Perhaps the most powerful takeaway for students was the reminder that they too can lead. Seeing Black professionals thrive in various industries was a source of inspiration.
“Many looked like us, and it reminded me that we can do this—that we are already on the right path,” said Perkins.
Charles Jennings, executive director for NCCU’s Career and Professional Development Center, believes the impact of DevCon on students will be long-lasting.
“The most amazing aspect of the DevCon experience is watching the transformation that takes place within the students during the time that they are at the conference,” said Jennings. “The words that are shared with them by the professionals, the sessions that they attend and the activities that they participate in truly provide each of them with a new spark of energy that impacts them.”