Taliah Givens did not follow a traditional path into education and workforce development—and this is exactly what makes her leadership so effective. Possessing dual degrees in electrical engineering technology and computer engineering from Alabama A&M University and Georgia Tech, Givens got her start in the fast-paced world of telecommunications. But soon, she found herself asking a critical question: If I had to shift careers to do something I love, what would it be?

Her answer was not tied to boardrooms or algorithms, but to purpose.

“I wanted to help other young people get what I got—that led me to go to school for free,” she reflects. “It was everything I did outside of the classroom, combined with what I did inside it, that positioned me for scholarships, internships, and opportunity.”

As a proud product of scholarship programs that included internship components, Givens saw firsthand the transformative power of experiential learning—real-world, interest-aligned opportunities that prepare students for long-term success. She transitioned from engineering into the K–12 space, focusing on career development and policy, then deepened her work through advocacy for after-school programs and experiential learning at the state level.

Serving as the Senior Director of Student Professional Development Programs at UNCF, where she has spent more than a decade designing and leading internship and career development experiences for thousands of HBCU students. She compared her role to her former engineering work—translating complex systems into meaningful outcomes.

“At UNCF, I still engineer. I talk to students, colleges, and companies about what we’re building, and I also work with my team to make those programs real,” she says. “Only now, I’m engineering opportunity.”

Givens is especially proud of the UNCF Student Leadership Conference (SLC)—a flagship experience now in its 15th year that brings nearly 140 students together for a multi-day immersive journey into career readiness, executive coaching, and peer-to-peer learning. The 2025 conference features expanded programming, including a business simulation, speed-mentoring sessions, and even a student-run podcast production track.

For Givens, SLC is more than an event—it’s the beginning of a path to brillance.

“We’re not just helping students land jobs. We’re preparing them to lead, innovate, and reshape the workforce,” she says. “These students have the talent. They need access, mentorship, and real-world practice. That’s what SLC delivers.”

Her motivation is deeply personal. Soon to release her first book on professional youth development, Givens reflects on her own mentors and the vibrant, if underserved, educational landscape of Paterson that helped her believe in her potential.

“I was a student worth investing in because someone saw me early,” she says. “Now I get to be part of that discovery for others.”

As she continues to lead national programs and influence how organizations recruit and nurture diverse talent, Givens is also helping to shift the narrative—from college-to-career readiness to career exploration, then college planning. It’s a paradigm that focuses on aligning passion with purpose, long before the job interviews begin.

And that’s the real power of the Student Leadership Conference—giving students more than just a seat at the table. It teaches them how to build their own.

Learn more about UNCF and follow to see what Givens does next.