Home > Engineering and Business Students Get in the Game Together to Take Learning and Leadership Out of the Classroom

Engineering and Business Students Get in the Game Together to Take Learning and Leadership Out of the Classroom

Crystal Drake 27 March 2026 3 minute read

TUBE Conference — *First Woman NFL Coach and TU Alum Brings the Message Home*

Contact: Crystal Drake, Office of Strategic Communications

Tuskegee University continues to raise the bar on innovative ways to prepare students for workforce impact sooner by cross-training them through interdisciplinary teamwork that further enhances their skillsets.

A recent example: The 2026 Tuskegee University Business and Engineering (TUBE) Conference – an immersive two-day experience to strengthen academic acumen and leadership skills for students from the College of Business and Information Sciences and the College of Engineering.

The conference was also a real-time opportunity for students to be hands-on leaders. Business and Engineering students managed all conference planning and execution of the two-day event which included the transfer of real-world knowledge in panel discussions and workshops featuring industry leaders from Amazon, The Boeing Company, Nucor Steel and PepsiCo among others.

The conference was co-chaired by senior Brianna Phillips, a Mechanical Engineering major from Little Rock, Arkansas, representing the College of Engineering and junior Alexander Littlejohn, a Finance major from Hiram, Georgia, representing the College of Business.

Dr. Heshmat Aglan, Dean of the College of Engineering and Dr. Kai Koong, Dean of the College of Business and Information Science supported the students every step of the way. Tuskegee alum Karan Dyson, VP of Global Innovation and Engineering at Proctor & Gamble, Paul Jones, a retired Proctor & Gamble VP, and Toya Dean, Coordinator of Student Activities in the College of Engineering also played integral roles in the conference.

This year’s theme, “The TUBE League,” reflected on the similarities between athletic excellence and academic rigor.

“Today in the age of the Tuskegee Renaissance, our students are training rigorously to build and lead industries, build innovative solutions, and shape the future,” said Dr. Thierno Thiam, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. “This conference is a celebration of this spirit of problem solving, resilience, teamwork, discipline, and the relentless pursuit of greatness—values deeply embedded in the Tuskegee legacy.”

“We’re bringing it out of the classroom and on the field,” said Dr. Thiam. “in this case, the field of endless opportunities that await students as they leave Tuskegee equipped to be champions.” Organizers pulled in TU alum Collette V. Smith, the first woman coach in the NFL to put a finer point on the message.

She took the stage with a rousing “TU – You Know!” as the audience in Logan Hall leaned into her excitement. Smith made history in 2017 as the first African American woman to coach in the NFL when she joined the New York Jets as a defensive backs coach during their training camp. Smith is also a former player herself – she was a member of the New York Sharks in the Independent Women’s Football League. Smith founded Believe N You Inc., a nonprofit focused on empowering girls to develop positive self-esteem through team sports, particularly at-risk teens in underserved and marginalized communities.

Sounding every bit the coach, Smith encouraged students to stop waiting to be chosen and instead take ownership of their purpose, reminding them that everything they are learning and doing now at Tuskegee is preparing them to create much broader positive change in the world.

Smith likened their student experience to preparing for the “big game.” She stressed that preparation—early mornings, late nights, studying, internships, lab work, and networking—is the practice that separates good from great. “The game doesn’t start in the locker room,” she said. “It begins with practice.”

She emphasized that just like on a football team, every role matters—engineers, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders alike—and challenged students to find their position and dominate it.

She also urged students to be dependable, coachable, and willing to do the work, reminding them that “your talent may get their attention, but your character is what will sustain your success,” Smith said.

Smith said coaching on an NFL field was a remarkable achievement, but her experience at TU was truly life-changing. She spoke candidly about laughing, struggling, learning, and growing—experiences she lived through “right over there” in Olivia Davidson Hall, Room 216—and how the discipline, pride, and leadership instilled in her at Tuskegee molded her into the woman she is today.

Smith reminded students that “Tuskegee never leaves you.” She challenged them to recognize that they are walking in legacy and purpose.

“Tuskegee creates leaders, pioneers, innovators, and playmakers and game-changers – and always has,” said Smith. “Pursue your dreams ferociously and know your worth. When you walk into a room, you are bringing the Tuskegee University legacy with you.”

Her keynote concluded with a powerful charge: Life beyond Tuskegee will undoubtedly include obstacles and struggle – be ready.

“The world will call your number, and when it does, you must be ready to run the play. At Tuskegee, greatness is not optional—it is expected.”