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Students across campus had the unique opportunity to develop their leadership and interpersonal skills at the first-ever Curry College Leadership Conference in February. The event was attended by over a hundred student-leaders, and was packed with presentations featuring alumni, faculty, and staff, interactive workshops, guest speakers, and more.
The Conference was brought to life by the LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) committee, which is made up of Curry students. Ellen Apotheker 23’, a double major in Business Administration and Psychology with a minor in Marketing, was one of the minds that helped put it all together. Apotheker initially approached the Office of Student Affairs with the idea and goal to unite student-leaders from across campus., She explained that the conference would not have happened without the LEAD committee and support from Curry College faculty and staff.
“If there is something you want to do on campus, you will always have a group of people willing to support you and make that goal a reality at Curry,” Apotheker said. “Knowing that so many people supported this idea and actively helped me plan and organize this day shows the strength of our community. No matter what you want to do, students and staff will always be willing to help and support you.”
Matt Murray, Community Director for State House, Lombard, and Mayflower Hall hosted a presentation, “Time Management and Managing Burnout” to help Curry student-leaders acknowledge the importance of the positions in which they serve. “I had a great experience speaking at the conference,” Murray said. “Being among student-leaders and discussing their development and the student-work-life balance is something close to my heart as a recent college graduate and student-leader myself.”
John Garrison 25’, a Communication major with a minor in Public Relations and a Resident Assistant on campus, gained a significant amount of knowledge during the positive experience. He learned the basics of being a leader after college with jobs in the higher education field, and how to set up a LinkedIn account. “Hosting events like this helps with strengthening our community,” Garrison said. “It brings leaders together and it helps refresh leaders on campus with new leadership abilities.”
During a panel focused on careers in higher education, the College welcomed back several alumni to speak about their professional experiences. Kuda Muhlauri ’21, who is now a Residence Director at Endicott College, spoke of how crucial it is to get involved on campus. “I hope that each student understood that as you are in college, you should try your best to put yourself out there. Building long-lasting friendships is essential because in life I believe that it's about who you know and who knows you as this can open many doors for you,” he said.
While the event brought the community together, it also connected our alumni back to the place that shaped their futures. “Being back on campus as an alumnus feels special because you are at home and in a place where everything is familiar,” said Muhlauri. “Giving back in any kind of way as alumni is important, as it can help guide the next generation of student-leaders.
With the event’s rousing success, the LEAD committee and the Office of Student Affairs staff plan to host the conference twice per academic year going forward.