Manderson Spark

Be the Leader you would want to follow

Spark is a professional development speaker and workshop program where students to grow professionally and personally in their knowledge and their way of thinking.

Spark provides additional avenues to gain knowledge outside of the classroom and become a better  candidate for the workplace.

Hello there!

93%

of employers want to see
soft skills on your resume

Spark competencies

Effective Communication

Personal Development

Service Learning

Emotional Intelligence

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

WHAT TO EXPECT

According to the research conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation and Stanford Research Center, 85% of long-term job success depends on well-developed soft and people skills and only 15% on technical skills. This is a statistic that has been published since 1918, over 100 years ago, and is still accurate.

  • Soft skills improve decision making
  • Soft skills drive positive change
  • Soft skills make for a healthy working environment
  • Soft skills help you solve problems more efficiently
  • Soft skills can improve customer service
  • Soft skills increase sales
  • Soft skills improve employee retention

All speakers and events will fall within one of the Five Competencies. Complete 80 points per competency. Track your development on the Manderson Spark dashboard in the Suitable app. Compete to win prizes and professional recognition in alumni newsletters and across Culverhouse and Manderson social media channels, including LinkedIn.

Expectations

We expect all Manderson students to complete all five badges before they finish their program.

  • Friday mornings at 10 a.m.
  • Register via CareerConnect
  • Breakfast will be provided
  • Dress is business casual

Past Spark topics have included:

  • Success on the Side: Capitalizing Time Outside of Your 9-5
  • Landing the Next Job and Navigating Internal Networking
  • The Business of Diversity
  • The Game of Life
  • Effective Negotiation
  • And many more!