N.C. A&T Deese College Launches COBE Talk Series

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (June 17, 206) – The Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has launched a new series called COBE Talk. Modeled after TED Talks, it is designed to amplify student voices, foster professional development and highlight innovative business and economics ideas.

COBE Talk provides students with a platform to share their business and economics related experiences, research and entrepreneurial insights with the campus community and beyond. Students audition for the opportunity, and selected speakers work for several weeks to develop and refine presentations before delivering them in front of a live audience.

“COBE Talk is an environment and a space for expertise to be shared from a student and faculty level, and I believe that it will allow our students and our faculty to develop their voice,” said Kecia Williams Smith, Ph.D., CPA, dean of the Deese College. “We are thinking about the endgame when they’re entering into whatever space, whether that’s a corporate environment or an entrepreneurship environment, they will need to have their voice cultivated.”

In addition to the live talk, the Deese College is producing a multi-episode video series that follows participants from auditions through preparation and culminates with their final presentations in front of a live audience. The series is shared through the college’s digital and social media platforms.

The inaugural event featured three student speakers whose presentations explored entrepreneurship, leadership transitions and ecosystem building for student entrepreneurs.

“Our students really are innovatively creative and innovatively thoughtful, and it’s impressive to see how they ideate,” said Jason Caldwell, D.M., COBE Talk director and Deese College assistant dean of student success and programming. “The networking, the ability to share their ideas and research, and increasing their communication and presentation skills are all wins for us in terms of learning outcomes.”

The first talk series drew attendees from across North Carolina and beyond, including alumni who traveled from surrounding states to support the speakers. This positive response reinforced the value of creating more opportunities for students to showcase their talents and perspectives.

With one installment of COBE Talk completed, the goal is to host a new talk each semester with plans of featuring faculty presenters who can share research and expertise alongside students.

“A lot of times students are sitting in seats in classrooms, but this is where we flip that opportunity and allow them to teach us in a very innovative way about their expertise,” said Smith. “That is a holistic view of education, not just having students sit in a seat and listening to others give their expertise, but also to have an opportunity for them to stand in front of the proverbial classroom to share their expertise as well.”

The next installment of COBE Talk will take place in the fall.

Members of the university community, alumni and supporters are encouraged to follow the Deese College’s social media channels and YouTube platform for upcoming COBE Talk episodes and information about future speaker auditions.

Those interested in auditioning to be a part of the next COBE Talk cohort are encouraged to email Caldwell at jjcaldwell@ncat.edu. 

Click here to view the first season of COBE Talk.