Nease Academy students had the chance to make the most of their Excel time recently with the launch of the school’s “Pizza with a Pro” series. This guest speaker series, focused on giving our students an edge on the soft skills they need for professional success, kicked off in a way that many professional interactions do — with a handshake. Led by Toastmaster Chris Engl, and supported by fellow Toastmasters Club member Roberto Fortuna and Nease student Rodrigo Ruiz, the Academy students started with a lesson on handshake etiquette. The focus of this first session centered around professional communication skills, and featured beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques for effectively communicating with others in a professional realm. This included how to conduct yourself during an initial interaction with someone and advanced into techniques for composed conflict resolution. The students truly enjoyed this lunch and learn opportunity, and we are so appreciative to Chris Engl, President of the Ponte Vedra Toastmasters Club, for coordinating this effort with Nease’s Career Academy Coordinator, Jaime Combs.
