Talent development and early identification of future potential hold the key for INROADS’ aspiring low-income students. And if anyone understands what it takes to pull yourself up from poverty and reach the highest levels of corporate America, it’s Forest T. Harper.
Read personal stories from two INROADS interns: Talent Development Creates Ability for INROADS Students to Succeed.
The president and CEO of INROADS, who spent 28 years at Pfizer (including his last role as vice president of capability development and stakeholder relations), started life as the son of migrant workers in Fort Pierce, Fla.
“My parents worked in the fields, harvesting vegetables and fruits … we lived in the projects, and from the top of the roof, I had two views, the drive-in theater and Cape Canaveral,” recalls Harper, who now heads the nonprofit that helps low-income students find and succeed in corporate internships. Most of those students are Black, Latino and American Indian.