Training U gives student athletes day of career inspiration

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Amid THE PLAYERS Championship week, 35 students from various high schools in the Duval and St. Johns counties gathered March 10 at the Sawgrass Marriott for an exclusive “Training U” event, powered by CDW.

The event, which normally hosts more than 250 people in the week leading up to the tournament, was scaled back in capacity this year due to the pandemic, but that did not stop the eager students from taking their socially distanced seats and enjoying an inspirational morning.

This sports-and-education forum is meant to introduce students to career opportunities beyond the sports that they play by giving them the opportunity to engage with high-ranking professionals.

Marsha Oliver, VP of Community and Inclusion for the PGA Tour, began the morning by welcoming the students and commending them on their outstanding achievements, both on the field and off.

Chris Porter, sports director for First Coast News, took the stage next to announce that CDW and Intel were donating $25,000 to Northeast Florida Regional STEM2 Hub, an organization that works to assure students have equal opportunity for future STEM careers.

The Beyond the Sport panel discussion brought together four outstanding professionals to give advice and answers questions from the students. Moderated by former President of WNBA and CEO of Orender Unlimited Donna Orender, familiar faces such as Shannon Miller (seven-time Olympic medalist and president of Miller Worldwide), Michael Collins (ESPN golf analyst and former PGA Tour caddie), MaliVai Washington (Wimbledon finalist and founder of the MaliVai Washington Foundation) and Len Mattice (two-time PGA Tour winner and founder of the Len Mattice Foundation) shared stories about their lives and careers.

“Today could be the first day of a future we have not seen,” said Orender, offering her wisdom to the students. “Where you will end up, we do not know, but we will prepare.”

Later in the morning, students were given the chance to speak with seven distinct Career Champions from the area, including Asia Gholston (director of marketing for the Jacksonville Jaguars) and Harold Craw (general manager of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp), while also speaking to representatives from colleges such as FSCJ, JU, UNF, Edward Waters and the U.S Navy.

During the Fireside with Firsts discussion panel, four PGA Tour professionals spoke more with the students about career opportunities. There was a surprise virtual Q&A with PGA Tour legend Harold Varner III, where he also announced to students the $25,000 STEM2 Hub donation would be used to purchase each student in the room a new laptop computer.

Students rounded out the morning with a tour of the course and yet another surprise visit from Varner himself.