Neena Speer is a graduate of Howard University’s Class of 2014. She is currently a full-time student at University of Alabama School of Law.

Neena shares her SVMP experience along with how it has influenced her professional development to date:

SVMP was the catalyst for my networking potential. It taught me the value of my colleagues, the future of business as I know it. It is a skill that has served and expanded my law school opportunities. I also learned the value of what I brought to the classroom and how it could not be similar to anyone else’s story. I learned that diversity is what helped expand the world view of future business leaders and is what contributed to their resilience.

My best SVMP moment was when I met a classmate of mine who came told me his story about how he ended up here. I could have been asleep, but I realized that sometimes you have to give up sleep to be successful in meeting someone who will change your life. I left that conversation closer to a person not because we were alike but because the differences we had enabled me to learn more than living close minded ever could have.

I use Les’s advice every time I can about the hand written letters, and I have realized that even I have great joy sharing with a past, present, or current mentor how much I have learned and how thankful I am to have met them and learned from them. That personality trait has helped me excel, learn how to leave great impressions, and I leave places with a sense of security. To know that you made an impact in some way is a my greatest aspiration and that tool really did change my experiences in a meaningful way.