Texas State students Johnathan Ashe, Corey Trimble Jr., and Jacob D. Cooper were named Forbes Scholars and invited to attend the Forbes “30 under 30” Summit held in Detroit, Michigan. About 1,000 college students are accepted as Forbes Scholars from across the nation.
The summit included more than 200 speakers, investor speed-pitching, industry-themed field trips, a music festival and a day of community giving. Ashe, a sophomore studying healthcare administration, called his experience at the Forbes 30 Under 30 summit “truly amazing.”
“The summit places professional development as its top priority,” said Ashe. “I was able to develop professionally from the various workshops they had (resume workshop for example) and discussion panels held by prominent figures from many industries (healthcare, engineering, business, and law). From exchanging ideas for campus organizations to internships opportunities, the relationships I built during the week were truly life changing.”
An ambassador with the campus organization Black Men United, Ashe is also part of the university’s chapter of the NAACP, where he serves on the executive board and is the political action chair. He is the first generation college student.
With his family in Houston, Ashe, 19, decided to transfer from Baylor to Texas State. A junior in this spring semester, Ashe hopes to eventually earn advanced degrees in public health. Ashe says he hopes someday to return to his birthplace in the U.S. Virgin Islands and build a hospital. He explains that there are only two there and more hospitals, along with more nurses and doctors are needed.
“I hope to become a healthcare executive on the management side. Helping patients and making sure they are treated well.”
Ashe says he is grateful the College of Health Professions and the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion for sponsoring him to attend the Forbes summit. His best takeaway? “Build relationships with everybody you meet. You never know who can collaborate on something. When you go into business, that trust is already there. It is important to grow in your business life and your social life,” he said.
For senior accounting major Corey Trimble Jr. his first “30 Under 30” summit came in the same semester that he will receive his Texas State bachelor’s degree. “It was one of those opportunities you have to seek out,” Trimble says of the Forbes event.
A native of Dallas, Trimble, 21, attended an early college high school and earned his high school diploma and his associate degree simultaneously. Trimble is active in several organizations on campus, including the Black Student Association, Beta Alpha Psi, Phi Kappa Phi, and the National Association of Black Accountants — where he was president. Next up for Trimble are accounting internships, one with RSM and the second with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and graduate school at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His goal, after earning his CPA certification and becoming a partner or director with a firm like PwC, is to own an NBA team.
Trimble said his big takeaway from the Forbes summit was understanding how to utilize your resources and further your personal brand. “There were a lot of people who were well put together businesspeople and they shared their knowledge of how they got where they are today,” he said.
Cooper is a junior majoring in construction science with a minor in business management. A native of Prairie View, Cooper said his first time at the Forbes summit was incredible. “Hard work and drive are two main points that I took from the conference. I was able to see very important individuals and listen to how they got to where they are in life today. How important it is to network and to be open to new ideas and taking that leap of faith when it is something you are passionate about,” he said. “I plan to share what I learned with other students so that they can have the opportunity share an experience at the Forbes conferences just as I did.”
Cooper is on the board for the NAACP chapter at Texas State and was president of the African Student Association. After graduation he hopes to own a custom homebuilding company.
“I want to travel the world and see different aspects of architecture and different cultures so that those aren’t from the U.S can feel like they are at home. Most importantly, give back to my community and build homes in areas for the less fortunate and help out areas in need of new construction. I plan to pave the way so those who come behind me are set up with opportunities that experiences that I have had,” Cooper said.
