Etiquette Dinner

Mock Interview

Flyer (PDF)

Throughout the third week in September this fall, the Society of African and American Men (SAAM) hosted the second annual Men’s Week—a series of evening events for professional and personal development of all men.

Women were also encouraged to attend, and a fair number of women did take part in the Men’s Week events, according to Mack Reese, a technical communications major who handles public relations for SAAM. “The goal of Men’s Week is to help strengthen some of the important fundamentals, including social skills, education, job hunting success, etiquette, and health. The turnout in general was strong, but we hope to attract even more attendees next year—both women and men,” adds Reese.

Men’s Week kicked off on Monday with a session about Health Awareness. “The focus was on nutrition, and exercising regularly. The human body is like a machine, and it’s important to keep that machine running well,” notes SAAM member Gregory Hardy.

Another session was all about updating your swagger. Swagger? “Cut and dry—your swagger is how you interact with different people, and what it means to be who you are,” explains Hardy. “For instance, swagger is about how you enter a room, how you shake hands and introduce yourself, and tell people about yourself.”

On Tuesday, Pontiac, MI businessman Carl Keels, Owner/President of Tienken Industrial Products, LLC, presented a talk about import/export entrepreneurship, entitled “Globalizing Yourself.” Keels, who started a successful janitorial and institutional supply company four years ago, is the stepfather of Darius Watt, SAAM’s president. “Back when my stepfather was in college, students living in the dorms were required to supply their own toilet paper,” Watt explains. “When he drove me up here for my first semester at Michigan Tech, we stopped at Wal-Mart to stock up. Then, as we were unloading and walked into the residence hall, the RA said, ‘Hey—what’s up with all the toilet paper?’”

When Keels discovered that universities had begun supplying toilet paper it gave him an idea for a new business, which has since taken off. Keels provided the address of one particularly helpful website, www.getabid.com, which provides links to lists of government bid opportunities. “If you are interested in starting a business it’s a good source of ideas and information about products that are in demand, and also potential customers,” notes Watt.

On Thursday, Julie Way of the Michigan Tech Career Center gave a coaching session on job interviews and resumes followed by a professional etiquette dinner later that night, with participants dining on roast chicken using no less than six forks, knives and spoons, and eight glasses and plates.

Men’s week officially ended on Friday, with an interest get-together for prospective new members of SAAM. “We will start allowing new members to join in the spring semester,” says Mack.  “Four people came to the interest meeting, and as a whole the membership of SAAM has been increasing each year. This year our goals are to be more involved with the community and to become closer as brothers.”

Men’s Week was sponsored in part by ExSEL, Multicultural Affairs, the School of Business and Economics, and Undergraduate Student Government, all at Michigan Tech.

What’s on tap for next year’s Men’s Week? “We’re talking with the College of Engineering about videotaping Men’s Week sessions and posting them online,” says Reese.

SAAM was established to help foster character development, discipline, scholarship, brotherhood, and unity among young African American men, as well as provide cultural diversity and awareness throughout the Michigan Tech community. Chartered in 1991, SAAM was founded by Michael Weaver, PE, who graduated in 1993 from Michigan Tech with a degree in Civil Engineering. While a student at Michigan Tech, Weaver founded both SAAM and the Echoes from Heaven Gospel Choir. He is currently Real Estate Development Coordinator, Grand Rapids Housing Commission. Weaver also started the West Michigan Minorities in Architectural/Engineering Consortium, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to ethnic minority and female students who want to work in engineering.

Flash Video about Society of African and American Men Week long Men's Week Professional Program