How doesone go from universitytoshadowingaCisco SVP in Brazil?  I think"VeritasetUtilitas,"(meaningtruthandservice) and my time atHowardUniversity,a Historically Black CollegeandUniversity in Washington,DC,had a lotto dowithit. 

"Veritas etUtilitas"isHoward University's founding motto,and one ofthe guiding principles I live by. 

Howard showedmethe value inleading aconfidentlife unafraid ofthe truthbehindwho I am, what I bring to the tableandhow to usetheresourcesandopportunitiesI receiveto help others.Ultimately,this confidence thatwas instilled in methencarriedthrough tomy journeyat Cisco-and I'm proud that Ciscohas supported not only my career growth, butalso encouraged me to bring my authentic self to work. 

Prior to 2018, Cisco wasn't even on my radar, but when an executive visited my class to lead a discussion onInternational Negotiations-that all changed.Cisco'sglobal supplychain, negotiations with Ciscopartners, anddetails of his journey to leadershipwere all covered, and I was hooked.It motivated me to speak withModupe' Congleton(Executive and Head of Cisco SupplyChain Inclusion & Talent)tolearn aboutpossible career paths that might be at Cisco for me.  

Fastforward: eight months later Iwas movingacross the country to San Jose, Californiato begin my careeras an Integrated Business Planner at Cisco Systems.  

And, from there (just a few months later) one conversation would provide the opportunity of a lifetime that would make my first year at Cisco one I will never forget! After attendinga YoungWomen'sChristianAssociation(YWCA)Silicon Valley luncheon, Ihad a great conversation with John Kern, SVP ofCisco Supply Chainand that led to me shadowingJohn during his annual trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil!  

This was big for me!While studying at Howard, I developed a passion for international business operations and strategy developmentwhen I traveled to London, England to learn about corporate operations and the potential effects of Brexit on corporateAmerica.So,the opportunity to travel to Brazilfor six days, learn about Cisco's holdings there,the promising outlook of Cisco Brazil Operations, and best practices in relationship management with partners and customers-all from a Cisco executive was one I was very grateful for.  

This amazing trip taught me a few key things that I want to be able toshare with everyone: 

1.Be Open to New Experiences:Having an open mind to new experiences is critical for your success in today's fast pace society as these experiences can serve as a catalyst for personal and professional growth. Beyond traveling to a brand-new country, I found myself sitting in unfamiliar meetings and interacting with people I had never met before. During the trip, I visited a couple of Cisco Brazil's largest customers offices, attended several partner meetings, Cisco supply chain internal meetings, and toured the Flextronics manufacturing site. I enjoy pushingmyself to try new experiences because it allows me to challenge my comfort zone and to explore my personal interests.

2. Be Willing to Share Your Knowledge: Understand that your formulated opinionmatters,and that people will value your input -in order to gain knowledge, youmustalso sharewhat you know. Onthis trip,I found myself being asked to share my viewpoint, knowledge and thoughts. Be prepared to paint a picture of your experiences and expertise to others.I thoroughly enjoyed presenting to the Brazil Supply Chain Team about my role at Cisco as an Integrated Business Planner(IBP)as well as theproduct family that I plan for. The team had shared a lot of information with me over the week through experiential learning and so I was glad to be able to provide them with context around the best practices and procedures that an IBP planner follows.

3. Be Your Authentic Self: "Fake it until you make it" does not always work in the real world, people will often see right through the fluff; so be yourself because that iswhoeveryone wants to meet and that is how you will add value to any environment that you are in.

One organic conversationcatapulted me into thisunforgettable experience-and all I had to do was be myself. 

My first year at Cisco has not only provided me international exposure and visibility with ourexecs but has alsogiven me the opportunity to give back to my alma mater, Howard Universityas a campus lead forCisco's Supply Chainbycoordinatingrecruiting events and campus engagement.  

I know that there is a myriad of students atHistorically Black Colleges and Universities (like myself) who are looking to begin their careers withan inclusive and global company, and I'm excited to be a part of the team that provides them with that opportunity at Cisco. 

 Ready to join a company that encourages you to be yourself? We're hiring. Apply now.