Campus Community
Posted: Thursday, February 25, 2010Regional Conference for Student Leaders Comes to Buffalo State
By Tony Astran
Nearly 200 students from colleges across the region will converge on Buffalo State this Saturday for the third annual Western New York Student Leadership Conference. The daylong conference will provide students with the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and develop skills to become effective leaders.
Eileen Merberg, retention and leadership specialist for campus life, said the conference tends to draw students who are resident assistants, orientation leaders, student government representatives, or student organization leaders, but is open to all. Students from as far as Finger Lakes Community College and the College at Brockport have registered. Past conferences took place at the University at Buffalo and Alfred University.
“This is an opportunity for area students to engage in leadership development and meet and learn from each other,” Merberg said. “Having it here gives our campus added visibility among our area’s future leaders.”
The conference runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Campbell Student Union and includes lunch. Hal Payne, vice president for student affairs, will provide welcome remarks before the keynote presentation from Kristin Skarie, founder and managing director of Teamworks, a Rochester-based consulting firm specializing in student leadership development. Skarie’s visit is funded by an Auxiliary Services Grant.
Throughout the day, students will attend four of 16 available workshop sessions on topics such as creative problem solving, conflict management, personal health, and interpersonal communications. Many of thepresenters are faculty, staff, and graduate students from Buffalo State.
The cost to attend the conference is $15, and part of the proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. Reservations are strongly recommended.
The Western New York Student Leadership Conference is sponsored by the New York Leadership Educators Consortium, the Buffalo State Auxiliary Services Grant Allocation Committee, and the Student Life Office. For more information, contact Merberg, 878-5937.
