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Ford’s dedication goes beyond supporting HBCUs, opening the door for those to join them in their mission to build a better world.
“Our success is not because we are without weaknesses or because we are perfect in any way. But it is really about the way we find our own unique strengths and develop them – I feel like that was done for me at A&T ”, said Ford’s Retail Marketing & Yield Management Director, and North Carolina A&T graduate, Ivan Boykin.
Q:How has attending an HBCU impacted your career and life?
John: The impact is huge. I loved my experience at North Carolina A&T State University. It’s great to see so many talented and passionate young black people in one place motivating and pushing each other to excellence. My grandmother said, iron sharpens iron, and it’s true. I also liked my instructors. They took a personal interest in my progress. I’m not just another student. My instructors know me. They understood the reason I was there, which was to reach my highest potential.
Lastly, I would say that preparation is also an important part. I remember hearing Les Brown, a motivational speaker, say: “It’s always better to be prepared and not have an opportunity than to have an opportunity and not be prepared”. And I felt that A&T did a wonderful job preparing me. HBCUs have a way of connecting with students to help them in that space. It breeds this attitude of excellence, and excellence is a choice. So, for me, my trajectory was influenced by the experiences I had at my HBCU.
Q: Your daughter also now attends North Carolina A&T, correct?
John: He added A&T to his list, I was thrilled, and at the same time a little surprised. Honestly, I didn’t pressure him to go to my school specifically. That said, when he went through his College selection journey and narrowed down his scope to select five schools to visit for consideration, I requested that two of them be HBCUs. I felt it was important for them to be considered because the experiences gained at HBCUs are invaluable. So, we started doing campus visits, and he fell in love with A&T and he made that decision on his own.
Q:How has your career led you to work at Ford?
John: It’s interesting because my career after leaving A&T was only with Ford, so I was one of the rare ones who stayed with the same company and grew as opposed to moving from one company to another.
A&T is one of the HBCUs where Ford recruited specifically for marketing. I asked the Dean of Student Affairs, to help me connect with the recruiters because the interview slots were filled. So, he asked the interviewers if they would do an additional interview and promised that it would be worth their time. So, I’m always grateful for that help because that interview led me to a series of other interviews that led me to the Ford hire. And I’ve been here ever since, so it’s been fine.
Q:What does your role as Director of US Retail Marketing and Yield Management entail?
John:My organization is primarily responsible for overseeing the retail marketing activities used to create demand and promote sales of our Ford and Lincoln vehicles throughout the US through our independently owned and operated Dealer Network . In fact, Rainbow Push’s survey and our own CEO, Jim Farley, recently highlighted some big improvements, particularly among Black-owned dealerships. Also, we work with our dedicated marketing team, developing campaigns, building brand awareness, analyzing industry trends, and developing strategies to grow our business.
Q:What advice would you give to those deciding which college to attend?
John:Your major is one of the first things to consider. If you decide to study engineering versus business, you may choose one school over the other depending on the major. Academic support and career placement are important because they really complement whatever major you choose, and that’s what helps you transition to the next stage once you’re out of school.
I like the fact that the instructors know me specifically, as opposed to having too big a class where they don’t really get a chance to get to know the students. So, for me class size is important. Lastly, I would say campus life and finding the right fit because sometimes that is very important for your overall experience.
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