CHICAGO, May 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN),
the world's largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef and pork, and
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., (AKA) America's first Black Greek-letter
organization, have partnered to provide leadership training for some of
America's best and brightest minority female college students. More than
40 undergraduate members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. traveled from
more than 35 different colleges and universities across the country to
Russellville, Ark., to participate in Alpha Kappa Alpha's 2005 Leadership
Fellows Program sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc., May 21st - 28th at the Tyson
Management Development Center (TMDC).
This program which began in 1979 by AKA provides leadership training and
helps undergraduates develop the skills necessary to be prepared to assume job
responsibilities in the workplace. In 2001, the sorority partnered with Tyson
Foods to enhance the program. Cathy Johnson, Vice President of Employment
Compliance for Tyson Foods and a member of AKA was instrumental in
facilitating the partnership between the two entities.
"Through our collaboration with Tyson we have provided the necessary
skills for undergraduates to succeed in the workplace and have helped to
diversify the company's workforce. This is a win-win situation for everyone
involved," stated Linda M. White, AKA national president.
The program provides training and development, student internships and job
placement and mentoring. At the end of the program, participants are required
to formally present case studies on various business related scenarios.
Several members of AKA's top leadership team participate in the program and
serve as mentors. Also, top executives from Tyson present workshops and
assist students by providing them with information for their case study
projects.
On Tuesday, May 24th the group met Mr. John Tyson, Chairman and CEO who
spoke to the leadership fellows participants and answered in-depth questions.
Later in the week, the group traveled to Little Rock, Ark., to tour a Tyson
Foods processing facility to see first-hand the process and packaging
operation. They also toured the historic Clinton Library and enjoyed a
delicious luncheon buffet.
AKA is America's first Greek-letter organization founded in 1908 by Black
college women. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the organization is one of
the world's leading service organizations. In the past two years alone, the
sorority has provided more than 3 million service hours and 13 million to
support service projects across the country and abroad benefiting more than
3.5 million people. The sorority serves all mankind through a nucleus of more
than 170,000 women in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe and Africa.
Candidacy for membership into AKA is open to all women of high ethical and
academic standards who are pursuing or have completed courses leading to a
degree from an accredited college or university.
Tyson Foods, Inc., founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale,
Arkansas, is the world's largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and
pork and the second-largest food company in the Fortune 500. The company
produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products, which are
marketed under the "Powered by Tyson(TM)" strategy. Tyson is the recognized
market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves, providing
products and service to customers throughout the United States and more than
80 countries. Tyson has approximately 114,000 Team Members employed at more
than 300 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world.
SOURCE Tyson Foods, Inc.; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.tyson.com
CONTACT:
Connie Cochran Toole of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc., +1-773-531-6069, ccochrantoole@aol.com ; or Libby
Lawson of Tyson Foods, Inc., +1-479-290-3486, or
libby.lawson@tyson.com
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