Annual conference emphasizes leadership

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The second annual Women’s Institute of Leadership and Learning (WiLL) Conference took place on Nov. 17 in Shippensburg University’s Ceddia Union Building. 

This event was different than most conferences because of its focus on hands-on activities instead of lectures. The conference began with a networking session, followed by a session called “F!sh Philosophy.” 

The session kept the audience engaged and alert as they were instructed to switch seats around the room and respond to questions involving leadership and communication within the workplace. 

There were six other workshops scheduled after this session, three of which happened at the same time and allowed conference-goers to choose which sessions they would like to attend. 

Miranda White hosted a session titled “Face Value.” The lecture focused on problems that people face in America with discrimination and prejudice. 

In response, one student said people accuse them of acting white because they speak proper English. Another student said they are not given certain responsibilities at work because they are not trusted, even though they are capable.

“To be a great leader, you have to be a great follower first. If you follow great people, you can follow in their footsteps and work your way up to becoming a great leader,” White said.

White provided SU students searching for motivation with advice on how to create their own legacies. 

“Remind yourself why you’re here. That’s what keeps me going,” White said. “Every day that I impact someone new, that’s amazing.” 

After White’s workshop, there was a session titled, “Leadership + Resume= Career,” which was led by guest speakers Jocelyn Chavous and Dani Zinn, both from the Career and Community Engagement Center. This workshop reminded students to tailor their résumés to a specific job and choose their best skills and experiences for the jobs they are applying to. 

Zinn said it is a good idea to keep a master copy of your résumé that is multiple pages, and includes all of your experiences. 

When applying to jobs she suggested pulling experiences from that master copy and compiling a one page resume. 

“Make your resume create a lasting impression of you,” Chavous said.