AUBURN, Ala. – With 28 SEC student-athletes locked in to his presentation, the executive vice president for a Fortune 500 company laid out his daily schedule. Awake by 5 a.m. Breakfast, workout, reading. A long workday leading a global sales team. In bed by 11 p.m.
"How many of you want to be in my position?" NCR's Dan Campbell asked. When several hands went up, Campbell issued a challenge to a group of people accustomed to meeting and exceeding them.
"All right, come catch me."
Listening in the audience, Auburn golfer Graysen Huff and softball player Justus Perry took it all in.
"You're not going to get to those positions without really working for it and understanding that it takes a lot of effort," said Huff, noting that the same principle applies in sports.
The Auburn seniors joined peers from 13 other Southeastern Conference schools in Atlanta Dec. 3-5 for the SEC Career Tour. A welcome dinner at Mercedes-Benz Stadium began three days of networking, mentoring and executive meetings at Cox Communications, NCR, UPS and The Home Depot.
"It was really beneficial," Perry said. "If anyone ever has the opportunity to do it, you should drop everything and go. Even if it's the week before finals, because I really understood how important it is to build relationships."
Perry, who plans to attend law school next fall after her final season at Jane B. Moore Field, appreciated the opportunity to hear CEOs share how they climbed the ladder.
"They were confident," she said. "They knew they were going to start low, but they knew at some point, they were going to grow.
"Your grades are important, your major is important, but what you end up doing is going to be based on the relationships you make and the people you meet."
Perry intends to pursue a career in criminal law, unless she's unable to shake her lifelong affinity for sports, in which case she might try to be an agent or athletics administrator.
"I don't know if I'll be able to let this go," she said. "This is going to stick forever."
Huff, who's majoring in agricultural business and economics, compared the job interviewing tips he received to the way a team prepares for an upcoming opponent.
"It's almost like watching film in a sense," said Huff, runner-up at the 2019 SEC Championship. "You get to see what the other team is doing beforehand and plan for it."
After his senior season, Huff plans to turn professional before ultimately launching his business career.
"I believe I'm going to be successful in whatever I do," he said. "Dive into the deep end after golf and sink or swim."
What an outstanding platform created to support Student-Athletes and their futures! Blessed to be apart of an amazing University, and an outstanding Conference! @SEC @AuburnSoftball pic.twitter.com/aU13kWQYzs
— JP (@JustusPerry18) December 6, 2019
Excited for @JustusPerry18 and @AUspudfarmer to join AuburnYOU's @MichelleKeesee as participants at this year's #SECcareertour in Atlanta!#TheWHYbehindtheYOU | 💼 pic.twitter.com/fiFOE16nPB
— AUBURNYOU (@AuburnYou) December 4, 2019
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer