Meet Mahogany Wells! She is sophomore Marketing major from Jonesboro, AR.
Is your student looking to get involved on campus, but afraid they lack the leadership skills? Well, Emerging Leaders is the program just for them! Facilitated by Vincent Phillips, Emerging Leaders is a 6-week program that teaches the students participating about the ins and outs of being an efficient student leader. From diversity training, to instructing students on how to give an effective elevator speech, this program is all inclusive.
As someone who went through the Emerging Leaders program, I really enjoyed learning about the different privileges and just how diverse the rest of the students in the group were. Vincent really does a great job of staying neutral and allowing the students to express their true selves. Because of the diversity training, I was able to understand that not all differences were visible, and it gave me more empathy as a student leader. Not only that, but the students are assigned a mentor, and the mentors do an amazing job of helping Vincent lead the program, and really go in depth on what he teaches us as a whole.
Another highlight of the program, for me, were the elevator speeches. Before I started the program, I had no idea what an elevator speech even was until I went through Emerging Leaders and I can truthfully say that being a part of this has made me 10x better at interviews. (P.S. an elevator speech is a short statement about yourself, or an idea that you have, that you give to employers or people you want to work with!) Without going through this program, I’m not sure I would’ve gotten the executive positions that I now hold, nor would I have made any connections that I would need for the future.
Lastly, Emerging Leaders is an application based program, meaning it’s meant for students who truly want to make an effort to get involved on campus and hone their leadership skills. Using what Vincent taught me, I’ve been able to join the Student Alumni Board, Parent and Family Ambassadors, and I’m currently an Orientation Mentor for the incoming freshman class. Applications open on August 27, and I encourage everyone who reads this to urge their student to apply. There are two different sessions available- Mondays or Tuesdays, and it’s only held for an hour each week.
What’s that? A program that fits your schedule, takes little to no time out of your day, and you can put it on your resume?! Why wouldn’t you join?
So, parents as you’re reading this, make sure you mark your calendars for August 27 to apply, and September 17/18 for the very first sessions. You won’t regret having your students join Emerging Leaders and watching them take a journey through student leadership, diversity, and inclusiveness.