Research conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation, and Stanford Research Center indicates that 85 percent of job success comes from having well-developed soft and people skills, and only 15 percent of job success comes from technical skills and knowledge (hard skills). Employers are often prepared to teach technical job skills; however, the intangible skills of being a team player, time management, and positive attitude are difficult to teach on-site but are critical to success. Some of these skills are often desired by college/graduate and post-doctoral students upon their graduation to help build successful professional employment skills to prepare them for the workforce  

To address this need, Maranda Brooks, FCS agent, delivered to date two successful etiquette programs under the positive employability FCS curriculum during the academic school year and summer program. Maranda partnered with the UK Graduate School, the Start to Finish Mentorship Program, and the Center for Graduate and Professional Services to deliver an etiquette dinner for those attendees. During this evening on December 5th, 2024, Maranda prepped a table etiquette publication, an interactive place-setting activity and delivered an interactive dining etiquette talk and dialogue to address commonly asked etiquette questions and discuss global commonalities and differences when considering table and dining etiquette. 

The second request etiquette was provided based on a referral from Maranda's partnership to conduct the dining etiquette workshop being held at the Fayette County Extension office on January 22nd, 2025 postdoctoral students of the University of Kentucky Society of Post Doctoral Scholars.

Between the two events, Maranda successfully provided table and dining etiquette for 54 participants. Over 75% of attendees were a minority population, and over 80% were international graduate students, post-doctoral students, and/or working professionals. Over 80% of attendees present noted that English was not their first language. To address this during the presentation, Maranda incorporated stimulating conversations about etiquette practices held to be true or myth in other countries.  

Evaluation results indicated that, collected over the two events, 95% of attendees plan to practice dining etiquette protocols, and 100% of attendees plan to use dining etiquette to create positive impressions and will utilize it in their workplace and professional development engagements. 

Hosting these events provided Maranda an opportunity as well to expose and introduce these attendees to the benefits and services that the Cooperative Extension Service has to offer for academic community students, professionals, post-doctoral and faculty at large, most of whom expressed they had never heard of the extension office and service.  

Due to the impact of these two successful events, Maranda has been referred to conduct another dining etiquette presentation at an upcoming Summer program for UK Markey Scholars students.