by Lindsay Cox
Student Life had a turnout of about 50 students at the three-hour Student Leadership Summit to kick off Parkland’s new Student Leadership Academy, last Friday. The purpose of this event was to teach students what it means to be a leader, how to delegate, to learn about themselves, how to deal with conflict, how to take charge of their own academic career and to get excited about opportunities to get involved.
As a leader, you are a role model and set the tone for your organization or club. According to Lori Garrett, the most boring conversations are the ones where everyone agrees; you need to be challenged so that you can rethink your direction. Garrett, one of two course coordinators for Parkland’s Anatomy and Physiology program and 19-year faculty advisor for Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), led the workshop with on Friday. She is also a certified leadership instructor.
Garrett began the workshop with the question, “Are leaders born or made?” She goes on to share her journey stating that she is an accidental leader. Garrett was a pre–med student at the U of I before deciding that it wasn’t the right path for her. This is when Lori found that she really enjoyed anatomy and physiology. Garrett’s antidote continues with her relaying how she had never thought about teaching, but when she was offered a position, she took it. She tells the crowd that this was how she found her passion for teaching. She imparted the wisdom that being a leader is an honor and a privilege; not everyone who wants the role gets to have it, so if you do you should seize the opportunity.
Guest speakers Lydia Gallaher and Brianne Stone, both officers for Parkland’s Student Government Association, shared their views on leadership and how to get involved on campus. Special guest speaker Emily Grumish, Parkland graduate, current U of I student and former President of Parkland’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, shared how becoming Parkland’s chapter president molded her into a better leader and had a big part in helping her to overcome her fear of public speaking.
Grumish’s speech was moving as her struggles to overcome obstacles were relatable to her audience. Students came up to her afterwards to share their own experiences with leadership roles. The event was a great way to network with like-minded individuals and to bond over strengths and weaknesses.
Francisco Gamino, parkland student and fellow PTK member stated that before this event he’d never attended a leadership workshop. The student said that he was glad that he attended because he really enjoyed it.
Matthew Harper, Parkland student, PTK member and peer mentor in charge of recruiting mentees for iConnect, also attended the event. When asked how he benefitted from this event Harper said, “It’s important that my team and I participate in the Leadership Summit to gain the necessary skills to effectively lead mentees in the right direction. Because we are a part of the Parkland staff, one of the skills that is especially important for us is to develop a professional persona. We want to take our jobs seriously, so students don’t receive the wrong impression about our strong desire to help them prosper at the college. For that reason, we attend the summit.”
If you want to participate in the Leadership Academy, talk to Josh Clark in Student Life (located in the U-Wing) for more details. To know what your leadership style would be, you can take the DISC assessment test online. If you want to take your leadership skills to the next level check out the Leadershape program at https://www.leadershape.org
