4 Fellows Share Their Legacy Excellence Program Experience
Last year, we announced the launch of the CDW Legacy Excellence Program, a partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along with support from our partners Adobe, Intel and Lenovo. This program focuses on advancing digital equity and creating a pathway for diverse students toward careers and leadership in the technology industry.
As part of the program, the leadership fellowship provided 16 students with a paid tuition scholarship, housing and textbook stipend, two paid 10-week internships with CDW, and ultimately, the chance to interview for full-time employment with CDW upon graduation. In May 2022, we welcomed our first cohort of 16 fellows to the CDW team. We asked a few of our fellows about their experience and what they’ve learned at CDW so far. Here’s what they had to say.
Aria Bethea (she/her)
North Carolina A&T State University, Major: Supply Chain Management
What is your favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program so far?
My favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program was getting to connect closely with my cohort and experiencing a new place I’ve never experienced before. Chicago is a beautiful city and I felt safe and welcomed at CDW.
What have you learned about yourself through the program?
From the program I learned more about my leadership style and how I like to fit in, in a work environment. I find myself liking to take charge yet also being an asset to the team. It was interesting having a role in the workspace, but also having a role in my cohort of HBCU students.
What skills have you developed throughout the program?
I better developed my communication skills. I come from being soft-spoken and a tad bit shy. The program helped me break out of this shell and showed me that I didn’t have to limit myself to being one way. I can branch out, try different things and do more than people expect.
What's a project that you're proud of from your fellowship so far?
I am proud of one project I got to work on where I assisted the sales team in strengthening the profiles of diverse suppliers. I didn’t just get to help CDW, but I got to shine a light on more diverse suppliers with hopes to increase their streams of revenue along with CDW’s. This was a win-win in my eyes - to be able to not just touch one outcome, but multiple.
Daria Carter (she/her)
Southern University and A&M College, Major: Marketing
What is your favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program so far?
My favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program is having the opportunity to become the future of CDW through internship, scholarship, and mentorship. The Legacy Excellence Program is designed to prepare us students of color to become the future of corporate America. Through the program, I have gained a gigantic support system through my buddy, mentors, the DEI team, and the Product and Partner Management team. The Legacy Excellence Program has also provided me with the opportunity to actually work for such amazing people within the company through a paid internship and with partnering with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, I get a scholarship to help me cover the costs of my tuition and room and board!
What have you learned about yourself through the program?
Some things I learned about myself through the program are my ability to adapt to new settings and how important it is to let my work speak for itself. Chicago is a city I've never been to before participating in the fellowship. As a girl from Louisiana, it was definitely a culture shock to me. The city was so overwhelmingly big, yet beautiful. I knew that I was going to have to adjust rather fast because the city moves at such a fast pace. Throughout the summer, I gained a larger sense of independence, and it made me so proud of myself and my parents were even prouder. I also learned to let my work speak for itself. Throughout the program, I was tasked with many assignments and projects. It was important to me to ensure that with every project I worked on, I put my best foot forward and only submitted things that I was proud of! I learned that letting my work speak for itself is enough words spoken in a room.
How has CDW prepared you for your career journey?
CDW has prepared me for my career journey because I am already working for/with people who I anticipate working for in the future. The company has also encouraged me to utilize LinkedIn which has helped me so much with growing my network. Through CDW, I have met so many corporate executives who are willing to help me through my career journey. The internship experience has also helped me with getting a taste of the real world after undergrad.
James Dorsey (he/him)
Florida A&M University, Major: Supply Chain Management
What is your favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program so far?
My favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program was the mentorship and relationships that were formed. Being a part of the Legacy Excellence Program allowed me to not only build professional relationships within corporate America but also personal relationships that taught me so much.
What have you learned about yourself through the program?
Through the Legacy Excellence Program, I have learned that I am in control of all my situations. The different opportunities that LEP provided and even the experiences I was exposed to showed me that I am in control of my work, my attitude, my outlook, and that it is up to me to make the most of where I am at and to take control of my future.
Von Hodnett (he/him)
North Carolina A&T State University, Major: Forensics
What is your favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program so far?
My favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program was the experience and opportunity to travel to an unfamiliar city and be surrounded by HBCU students from all over and build connections and relate to one another.
What have you learned about yourself through the program?
One thing I learned about myself within the duration of this program is that my voice speaks volumes. I’ve spent so much of my life thinking that it’s best to just follow the directions given and go along with what’s being said. The Legacy Excellence Program gave me the opportunity to realize that everyone’s opinions matter and can always make an impact.
How has CDW prepared you for your career journey?
CDW has given me insight into the corporate world that has set me on the right track for my career path. At the start of the program, I believed in the stigma that the corporate world was all based on hierarchy and business. CDW has shown me that you can still get the work done while having a good time doing it!
Learn more about our Legacy Excellence Program.
– CDW Coworkers
Last year, we announced the launch of the CDW Legacy Excellence Program, a partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along with support from our partners Adobe, Intel and Lenovo. This program focuses on advancing digital equity and creating a pathway for diverse students toward careers and leadership in the technology industry.
As part of the program, the leadership fellowship provided 16 students with a paid tuition scholarship, housing and textbook stipend, two paid 10-week internships with CDW, and ultimately, the chance to interview for full-time employment with CDW upon graduation. In May 2022, we welcomed our first cohort of 16 fellows to the CDW team. We asked a few of our fellows about their experience and what they’ve learned at CDW so far. Here’s what they had to say.
Aria Bethea (she/her)
North Carolina A&T State University, Major: Supply Chain Management
What is your favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program so far?
My favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program was getting to connect closely with my cohort and experiencing a new place I’ve never experienced before. Chicago is a beautiful city and I felt safe and welcomed at CDW.
What have you learned about yourself through the program?
From the program I learned more about my leadership style and how I like to fit in, in a work environment. I find myself liking to take charge yet also being an asset to the team. It was interesting having a role in the workspace, but also having a role in my cohort of HBCU students.
What skills have you developed throughout the program?
I better developed my communication skills. I come from being soft-spoken and a tad bit shy. The program helped me break out of this shell and showed me that I didn’t have to limit myself to being one way. I can branch out, try different things and do more than people expect.
What's a project that you're proud of from your fellowship so far?
I am proud of one project I got to work on where I assisted the sales team in strengthening the profiles of diverse suppliers. I didn’t just get to help CDW, but I got to shine a light on more diverse suppliers with hopes to increase their streams of revenue along with CDW’s. This was a win-win in my eyes - to be able to not just touch one outcome, but multiple.
Daria Carter (she/her)
Southern University and A&M College, Major: Marketing
What is your favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program so far?
My favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program is having the opportunity to become the future of CDW through internship, scholarship, and mentorship. The Legacy Excellence Program is designed to prepare us students of color to become the future of corporate America. Through the program, I have gained a gigantic support system through my buddy, mentors, the DEI team, and the Product and Partner Management team. The Legacy Excellence Program has also provided me with the opportunity to actually work for such amazing people within the company through a paid internship and with partnering with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, I get a scholarship to help me cover the costs of my tuition and room and board!
What have you learned about yourself through the program?
Some things I learned about myself through the program are my ability to adapt to new settings and how important it is to let my work speak for itself. Chicago is a city I've never been to before participating in the fellowship. As a girl from Louisiana, it was definitely a culture shock to me. The city was so overwhelmingly big, yet beautiful. I knew that I was going to have to adjust rather fast because the city moves at such a fast pace. Throughout the summer, I gained a larger sense of independence, and it made me so proud of myself and my parents were even prouder. I also learned to let my work speak for itself. Throughout the program, I was tasked with many assignments and projects. It was important to me to ensure that with every project I worked on, I put my best foot forward and only submitted things that I was proud of! I learned that letting my work speak for itself is enough words spoken in a room.
How has CDW prepared you for your career journey?
CDW has prepared me for my career journey because I am already working for/with people who I anticipate working for in the future. The company has also encouraged me to utilize LinkedIn which has helped me so much with growing my network. Through CDW, I have met so many corporate executives who are willing to help me through my career journey. The internship experience has also helped me with getting a taste of the real world after undergrad.
James Dorsey (he/him)
Florida A&M University, Major: Supply Chain Management
What is your favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program so far?
My favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program was the mentorship and relationships that were formed. Being a part of the Legacy Excellence Program allowed me to not only build professional relationships within corporate America but also personal relationships that taught me so much.
What have you learned about yourself through the program?
Through the Legacy Excellence Program, I have learned that I am in control of all my situations. The different opportunities that LEP provided and even the experiences I was exposed to showed me that I am in control of my work, my attitude, my outlook, and that it is up to me to make the most of where I am at and to take control of my future.
Von Hodnett (he/him)
North Carolina A&T State University, Major: Forensics
What is your favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program so far?
My favorite part of the Legacy Excellence Program was the experience and opportunity to travel to an unfamiliar city and be surrounded by HBCU students from all over and build connections and relate to one another.
What have you learned about yourself through the program?
One thing I learned about myself within the duration of this program is that my voice speaks volumes. I’ve spent so much of my life thinking that it’s best to just follow the directions given and go along with what’s being said. The Legacy Excellence Program gave me the opportunity to realize that everyone’s opinions matter and can always make an impact.
How has CDW prepared you for your career journey?
CDW has given me insight into the corporate world that has set me on the right track for my career path. At the start of the program, I believed in the stigma that the corporate world was all based on hierarchy and business. CDW has shown me that you can still get the work done while having a good time doing it!
Learn more about our Legacy Excellence Program.
– CDW Coworkers
