Speaker Profile: Mawi Asgedom

Mawi Asgedom was the keynote motivational speaker for the April 19, 2008 ECA program at the John J. Pershing West Magnet School in Chicago, Illinois.

Mawi Asgedom has written four books that are used in thousands of classrooms across North America and spoken to over 500,000 students and educators. A nationally recognized youth educator, Mawi is the founder of Mental Karate, a training organization that challenges youth to create their own inspiring journeys.

As a child, Mawi fled civil war in Ethiopia and survived a Sudanese refugee camp for three years. After being resettled in The United States, Mawi overcame welfare, language barriers and personal tragedy to graduate from Harvard University.

Since 1999, Mawi has dedicated himself to uplifting America’s teenagers. Mawi’s bestselling memoir, Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy’s Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard, has been read as a one-book, one-community reading selection by hundreds of schools and communities including the cities of Philadelphia and Green Bay. His teen-success guides, The Code, Win the Inner Battle, and Nothing is Impossible, have also been used in thousands of classrooms. Citing the impact of his work, The Illinois Association of Teachers of English named Mawi the 2006 Illinois Author of the Year.

Mawi has hosted a yearlong teen series on PBS Chicago and many prominent media outlets have featured him including:
- The Oprah Winfrey Show
- ESSENCE, one of “The 40 Most Inspiring African-Americans”
- Ebony, one of “30 Black Leaders Under 30″
- Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, Harvard Magazine

Speaker Profile: Major General K.C. McClain

Major General K.C. McClain was the ECA keynote motivational speaker for the March 1, 2008 Canyon Middle School program organized by the Harvard Club of San Antonio.

Maj. Gen. K. C. McClain is Commander, Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. The center’s primary focus is to ensure field commanders at bases around the globe have the right number of skilled people in the proper grades and specialties to complete their Air Force missions. AFPC consists of about 2,200 Air Force military, civilian and contractor personnel responsible for developing personnel programs, implementing personnel policies, and conducting personnel operations for 1.25 million Air Force military, civilian and retirees worldwide. The center manages the Air Expeditionary Force schedule and tracks the execution of delivering versatile air and space power to combatant commanders worldwide. AFPC implements comprehensive programs covering all aspects of the personnel life cycle for military and civilian personnel, to include accessions, education and training, assignments and deployments, promotions and evaluations, and retirements and separations. Additionally, the center provides support for readiness and contingency operations worldwide.

General McClain earned her Air Force commission through Officer Training School and began her career as an administrative officer, later cross-training into personnel. She has commanded the 314th Support Group at Little Rock AFB, Ark., the 17th Training Wing at Goodfellow AFB, Texas, and the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver, Colo. Additionally, she was the Commander, Joint Task Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Her staff tours include major commands, Air Staff and U.S. Pacific Command. Prior to her current assignment, the general was the Director of Force Management Policy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

EDUCATION
1973 Bachelor’s degree in secondary education, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
1981 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1983 Master’s degree in public administration, Troy State University, Ala.
1984 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1993 NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
2001 Senior Executive Management Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2007 Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal

Speaker Profile: Matthew Espy

Matthew Espy was a speaker for the Harvard Club of New York’s ECA event on October 13, 2007 at Young Scholars Academy, Bronx, NY

Matthew Espy is referred to as the best mathematics student the chair of Chamblee High School’s math department has encountered in 27 years of teaching. Matthew took AP Calculus BC and AP Computer Science in 10th grade, Multivariable Calculus and AP Statistics in 11th, and continued his math studies at Georgia Institute of Technology in 12th grade. As captain of the Chamblee math team, he relished competition, placing first in the Georgia Math League four times Matthew became one of the nation’s top high school math students, receiving invitations to the American Regional Mathematics League and the USA Math Olympiad.

During the summer of 1998, Matthew was one of 70 students worldwide invited to participate in MIT’s Research Science Institute. He was Vice President of his class at Chamblee High School, played on the basketball team, ran cross-country, and joined the chess team. Following graduation from Chamblee, Matthew attended Harvard University. Through AP credits and extra coursework, Matthew was able to complete his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Applied Math in four years. Around campus Matthew was President of the Harvard Investment Association, and a member of the Phoenix SK club, the Black Men’s Forum, the Financial Analyst Club, the Undergraduate Council, and the Black Students Association.

Matthew is currently working as a research associate for Bridgewater Associates, an asset management firm in Westport, CT. He resides in midtown Manhattan.

Speaker Profile: Jennifer A. Martinez

Jennifer A. Martinez was a speaker for the Harvard Club of New York’s ECA event on October 13, 2007 at Young Scholars Academy, Bronx, NY

A Prep for Prep alum (contingent XVI), a 2000 graduate of Nightingale-Bamford School, and a 2004 graduate of Columbia University, Jennifer participated in Career Paths Plus and interned with Hearst Magazine’s Licensing Division.  Since graduating, she has worked in the non-profit sector in a small business development program sponsored by Seedco and The New York City Business Solutions Center.  She now works for The New York Times Media Group, as an Advertising Sales Account Manager. 

Jennifer handles accounts for the Education category and works on both print and online campaigns for Northeast schools, representing $3M in revenue for The New York Times Company.  She is currently enrolled as a part-time MBA student at NYU’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business

Speaker Profile: Kyle McCullers

Kyle McCullers was a speaker for the Harvard Club of New York’s ECA event on October 13, 2007 at Young Scholars Academy, Bronx, NY 

Kyle McCullers is a native on Brooklyn, NY and attended the Bronx High School of Science in Bronx, NY.  After high school, he went on to pursue his undergraduate degree at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.  At Morehouse, Kyle matriculated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics in addition to starting a few small businesses. 

Upon graduation, after a failed attempt to open a café in Atlanta, Kyle returned to his hometown where he began working in Sales for VIBE Magazine. Only after a few short months, Kyle followed his mentor to a competitor magazine where he is now Advertising Operations Manager.  He plans to attend business school by 2010, and from there go on to pursue his entrepreneurial goals.

Speaker Profile: Rod Burgain – IvyWise

Rod Burgain was a speaker for the Harvard Club of New York’s ECA event on October 13, 2007 at Young Scholars Academy, Bronx, NY

Rod Burgain has extensive experience in the admissions and financial aid process at highly selective institutions.  A graduate of the University of Rochester and Columbia University’s Teachers College, Rod’s decade long career in higher education began as an Admissions Officer at Hampshire College and subsequently, as the Assistant Dean of Admissions at Wesleyan University.   Then, he administered need-based financial aid at Brown University.  For the last four years, he has served as the Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Columbia University. 

In August of 2007, he was appointed as Director of Marketing and Business Development for IvyWise, one of the leading independent college counseling firms in the country.  Always an educator, Rod is excited to share his insight about the admissions and financial aid process. As a first generation college student, he hopes his experiences will empower you to find the right college for you.

Speaker Profile: Jean Fugett

Jean Fugett, a college graduate who played for the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X, and went on to manage Beatrice International, an international company headquartered in Paris.

Speaker Profile: Len Elmore

Len Elmore, who played for the University of Maryland basketball team, and then played professionally for the New York Knicks. After retiring from professional basketball, he further continued his formal education, earning a law degree from Harvard Law School.