Multicultural Student Leadership Conference encourages professional growth, self-reflection
The fourth-ever Central Michigan University Multicultural Student Leadership Conference aimed to offer leadership opportunities to under-recognized students while encouraging others to journey beyond their safe spaces.
Nearly 90 students, faculty and volunteers participated in the conference Feb. 16 in the Bovee University Center. Numerous workshops were available to registered attendees, each one centered on professional growth and development, self-reflection and networking.
"In the past this conference has kind of been targeted toward just one group of people," said Clinton Township junior Sydney Reed, the conference chair. "But because we are based off the intention to promote and advance multiculturalism, we wanted to get as many people involved as we could from different backgrounds and walks of life."
Reed said the conference aspired to unify the various identities that make up CMU, while also featuring representation of students from Michigan State University and Eastern Michigan University.
"Growing through this event begins with allowing yourself to come here with an open mind and willingness to challenge yourself and reflect on the developments in your leadership journey," Reed said. "It's so important to challenge the things you already know because there's a whole world of ideas needed to be heard in order to truly progress into the beautiful society we want to see."
Assistant Director of Multicultural Academic Student Services Jonathan Glenn provided a presentation titled "Challenge What You Know." During his workshop, he discussed his path toward diversification after growing up in a predominantly African American community in Saginaw.
"I am a main believer that when you are living a life here in a place of higher education, a lot of people begin to judge you on what you know or the lack thereof," Glenn said. "Every single one of you had an experience from when you were born to the moment you made it at CMU's campus and that experience has dictated your understanding of what you know about race, religion and what you know about all things (in) life."
Glenn said society and cultural lenses have a tendency of categorizing individuals based off their appearances and identities.
He said students often allow their backgrounds and life at home to dictate over new relationships and individual group.
His workshop promoted coexistence with different cultures, ideologies, religions and "all other walks of life," and challenged people to seek out diversity in all of its forms and provide themselves an opportunity to learn.
The keynote speaker of the conference was Jeff Ponders II of Detroit, a jazz musician who uses his passion for music as a foundation for leadership and professional development.
"I believe we are all here for a reason," Ponders said. "You're not random, whether you believe in God, the universe or nothing at all. The fact that you are here right now means there is a design for your life. You got to figure out what that thing is."
His presentation was centered on an aspiration for excellence and the need to discover one's purpose, passion and potential.
Reed said such components of the conference were the perfect devices for reminding students they all have the opportunity to rewrite their story and even surpass far beyond the level of success they want to attain.
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