By Katherine Branchman/ASU
The message to Alabama State University students Thursday morning was simple:
The strength of a network isnt just in who you know. Its in the relationships you build, the opportunities you create and how willing you are to reach back and help someone else.
That message came to life during the third annual “Hornets Are Home” Alumni Career and Networking Panel, held Oct. 8 in Vivian DeShields Auditorium during ASUs 2026 Homecoming celebration.
Presented by the Alabama State University National Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Relations, the event brought accomplished alumni back to campus to share career lessons, personal experiences and practical advice with students.
An alumni career panel followed, with Orlando Arnold, CEO of Pyramid Sports & Entertainment Group, Inc., serving as moderator. Panelists included Valencia Moss, CEO of Valencia & Co.; Dr. Courtney L. Teague, founder of CLT & Associates; Dr. Jonelle McCollough, Equal Employment Opportunity director and professor; and Brandon Dean, director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Montgomery and a member of the mayors cabinet.
Throughout the conversation, alumni shared candid lessons from their own time at Alabama State University, including academic struggles, internships, finding their footing professionally and learning how to make relationships count.
One of the strongest messages of the morning was that networking should never be thought of simply as collecting contacts.
“Find people in which you could be of service,” Dr. Teague told students. “When you’re networking, don’t worry about the title of the person. Focus on how you can support them.”
Students were also challenged to follow through after making connections.
“When you don’t execute as you’re networking, you’re just another business card and another contact,” Dr. McCollough said, encouraging students to follow up and continue engaging with people before they need something from them.
Arnold pushed that idea further, telling students that a social media connection is not necessarily a relationship.
“Why ask for a person’s LinkedIn account when you can ask them for their phone number, a direct line.
“When you network, you expand your net worth. You expand your circle,” Arnold told students.
For the alumni on stage, those lessons were not theoretical. Several pointed to experiences at Alabama State University that helped shape the careers they have today.
Moss recalled nearly failing during her first semester after arriving at ASU as a strong student and becoming distracted by campus social life. The experience, she said, taught her a lesson she carried into her professional career.
“ASU humbled me because I assumed that I was naturally smart and did not need to study,” Moss recalled. “I immediately learned a lesson, and I have taken that everywhere with me: You must always show up as your best.”
She also recalled how hands-on experiences in ASUs Communications program helped launch her professionally. Required internships put her inside radio and television stations and gave her an opportunity to build relationships with people who would later serve as professional references.
At one radio internship, Moss remembered being placed behind the microphone and going live with no hesitation.
Those experiences mattered.
“I took advantage of all of the opportunities that ASU offered, and I networked with people in those different positions higher up,” she said. “They actually were my references when I moved to get another job in the city of Birmingham.”
The conversation repeatedly returned to the enduring connection between graduates and Alabama State University.
When asked what the ASU experience means after leaving campus, Moss put it plainly:
“The relationship with ASU doesn’t end when you graduate.”
She encouraged students to remain active after leaving the University and to connect with local alumni chapters, where relationships can lead to mentorships and even employment opportunities.
“ASU doesn’t just stay here in Montgomery,” Moss said. “Where we go, it’s nationwide. It’s worldwide.”
Other panelists encouraged students to carry that same pride into their workplaces and communities, speaking up for their alma mater and representing the University through their work and how they treat others.
Students didnt just listen. They asked questions about internships, balancing work and school, setting goals, finding mentors and adjusting to life in Montgomery.
The answers were often candid.
When a student asked how to balance academics, work and internships, one alumnus acknowledged that the answer isnt always glamorous: plan, make sacrifices, get enough rest and keep moving.
Another panelist offered an even simpler piece of advice:
“Just keep on going, because life is about balance. It doesn’t get easier once you graduate.”
For students trying to reach big goals, panelists encouraged them not to lower their expectations, but to break those expectations into manageable steps and celebrate progress along the way. Throughout the morning, alumni reminded students that they did not have to make their journeys alone.
One speaker summed up the day’s overall message by comparing the ASU connection to the sense of family alumni often carry long after leaving campus.
“We’re the Hornet family, and we’re the Hornet nation, and that’s what we’re here for,” the speaker said. “These people are here for you. We are your family.”
Now in its third year, “Hornets Are Home” is becoming more than a Homecoming gathering. It is an opportunity for Hornets who have traveled their own professional paths to come home, tell the truth about those journeys and make the path a little clearer for the students coming behind them.
Participating students left with more than advice. Through a technology donation connected with Amdocs, Telecommunication Co., students who registered and were vetted for the program received a special gift, including Mac or PC laptops with chargers and portable monitors. Additional equipment available included phones and accessories.
The panel discussion concluded with a powerful reflection on the spirit of giving underscoring what it truly means to be a part of the Hornet Nation.
The lesson students heard repeatedly Thursday was that a degree can open a door, but relationships, preparation, persistence and service can help them walk through it.
Three years strong. One Hornet family. Unlimited connections. The Hornets are home.