The Magic Johnson Foundation Celebrates the 'Executive in You' at their Annual Leadership Conference

LOS ANGELES, July 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Magic Johnson Foundation (MJF) kicked off their annual Taylor Michaels Scholarship Program Life Skills Leadership Conference in Los Angeles with their 100 deserving scholarship students who come from all around the country anticipating the four-day program that promises to educate, entertain and empower. The Taylor Michaels Scholarship Program (TMSP) was implemented to subsidize education expenses for college bound students who show exemplary scholastic achievement but are stifled by their socio-economic condition.

"I'm excited about our 12th annual Leadership Conference's theme: the executive in you.  This Conference provides the essential tools and information to transform our scholars into professionals and more importantly future leaders.  Their generation is noted as one of society's most educated and most ill-prepared generation, so it's important to ensure we over-deliver in preparing our scholars for success," said Towalame Austin, President of the Magic Johnson Foundation.  To date, the program has supported over 300 students. The TMSP offers a mentoring and internship program that prepares each Scholar for the workplace and post graduation. With this year's theme, "The Executive in You," the Foundation will encourage Scholars to expand their realm of professional possibilities, develop a deeper knowledge on successful career trajectories, and inspire them to aggressively plan their careers as if they were the executive of their own brand. This continues on with the Foundation's tradition to prepare Scholars for academic success, career paths and life in general.

During the highly-anticipated four days, the Foundation will host a series of workshops and panels. This year the focus will be on helping build and shape the Scholars into becoming smart and savvy executives one day. Mr. Johnson will share his story and how he built the #1 brand in urban America. The panels will also tackle life coaching and words of wisdom from MJF partners like Best Buy, Aetna and AON. The Brother 2 Brother/Sister 2 Sister workshop, which will offer an open forum for the Scholars to candidly talk about personal life issues and the challenges they face as young men and women. The Scholar Recognition brunch will celebrate the Taylor Michaels Scholars 2010 graduating class and recognize their significant achievements, along with a fun initiation for the 30 new students to the program.  The four days will conclude with a community service day with Tree People, an environmental nonprofit that inspires, engages and supports people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun and sustainable and to share the results as a model for the world. Every year corporate sponsors make the Conference possible through their commitment to support the mission of the Magic Johnson Foundation. The sponsors this year include: Fed-Ex, Best Buy, American Airlines, Denny's, Microsoft, NBC Universal and Starbucks Urban Coffee Opportunities.  

About the Magic Johnson Foundation

The Magic Johnson Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, was established in 1991 to raise funds for community-based organizations focused on HIV/AIDS education and prevention.  The Foundation has since expanded its mission to develop programs and services that address the broader educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities throughout the nation. For more information, log onto www.magicjohnson.org

SOURCE The Magic Johnson Foundation