PBA Students and the World LEADERS Conference


Last week, students had a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet, hear or even just catch a glimpse of some of the most influential leaders around the world.  The World LEADERS Conference took place the morning and afternoon of April 18 and 19 in the DeSantis Family Chapel at Palm Beach Atlantic University.  Through PBA's event coordinator, students were invited to volunteer for the conference.

Early morning volunteer group of PBA students

 
PBA Students Volunteer and Attend

I decided to volunteer April 18 helping out in the front of the chapel by checking attendees’ name badges, as well as working with the backstage production crew.  Throughout the day, I was able to catch a glimpse of many of the speakers. While volunteering, I had a blast with the other volunteers.   Plus, it was great to see that the attendees and staff were grateful for our presence and assistance with the conference. 

 Besides students who were volunteering for the conference, there were several other students who attended the conference with seating.  Through hearing a variety of speakers, PBA students gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of a "leader."  I know that students who attended the conference will apply these skills to their lives at school, as a majority of them are already currently student leaders on campus.

Blair speaks at the World LEADERS Conference

Former Prime Minister of Britain Tony Blair

Luckily, as a student volunteer, I was selected along with one other student to work during the afternoon when Former Prime Minister of Britain Tony Blair gave his speech.  I worked with the production crew, and then attended a reception in the Rotunda of the Warren Library for a photo opportunity with Former Prime Minister Blair.  Although it was a rare experience to introduce myself to him, it was his words of advice during the conference that was a gift beyond compare.

There were three aspects of Former Prime Minister Blair's outlined seven steps for leaders that stuck out to me as goals for improving my own leadership. For example, he encouraged the audience to use problems for motivation, instead of frustration.  He also suggested using a balance of humility and self-belief in leadership. Finally, he asked us to remember to always thank God for the blessings in our life.   

These three small examples of leadership advice have deeply pierced my heart, and will help me with my leadership journey at PBA. Overall, it is encouraging to see how an experienced world leader, such as Former Prime Minister Blair, is willing and able to express leadership advice in a way that is relatable to those who have yet to gain his experience. 

Not Just Another Campus Club




Leadership exercises/Photo by Tai Cornell

 

I was recently asked in comment on a previous blog entry about activities I’m involved with on campus.  Last semester, I took on the role as an assistant for Impact Leadership Team (ILT). For those who are not familiar with ILT, our goal is to become servant leaders on campus for Christ.  However, I didn’t realize until the end of last semester, there's more to ILT than fun, games and questions.

What stood out to me was the great variety of students chosen to become assistants for the semester. Typically, a club is composed of a group of like-minded people.  That is not the case for ILT. Rather, it is a team composed of a wide variety of leadership styles and opinions.

A positive aspect of recruiting students of various personalities is it brings a large amount of students to our club. However, since ILT acknowledges all different styles of leadership, it's sometimes difficult for the group to agree.  For instance, last semester members claimed they felt left out of the group if the group thought their views were too different.  Ultimately, we made a goal to ensure ILT created a community, which could reach out to all corners and depths of campus. Overall, our differences are what accomplished this task, and set us apart from other clubs.

 
I can honestly say I have become very close friends with peers in ILT, which I wouldn’t have come across in my normal social surroundings, due to different schedules or interests. Not only have the music genres on my iTunes playlist expanded, but so has my heart.  I have been led to Christ stronger through this club, better known as my second family, or as we call it "Ohana."  The very differences that initially kept us apart have helped us challenge or develop our own opinions, and wound up bringing the group together. Good practice for the “real world” after college.

Canoeing trip/Photo by Tai Cornell

If you are interested in Impact Leadership Team, you can meet with us Tuesdays at 11:15 a.m., or Wednesdays at 4 p.m.: pick the day that fits your schedule.  E-mail us at Impact_Leadership_Team@pba.edu to know where we're meeting. 



E-mail us as well about upcoming events, including “Junkbox Wars” this Saturday where we will race cardboard box boats in Towers pool and “Little Smiles” the following Saturday to help out at a fair for terminally ill children, as well as a camping trip in November.

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