At St. Jerome’s University, there’s always something for everyone! No matter what it is you’re passionate about, SJU will have something that interests you. To give you a better sense of what it’s really like to be an SJU student, from time to time we’ll feature events, activities, and opportunities going on around campus that you can look forward to participating in one day as a future student!
This past Saturday was the annual SJU Leadership Conference – a one-day event all about leadership and learning what it means to be a leader. If you’re someone who has been involved in a variety of leadership opportunities throughout your time in high school, doing everything from Student Council, to dramatic productions, to peer leading; or if you’re looking to get more involved and branch out while at university, then this event is something you should look out for at SJU!
Leadership is a common theme at St. Jerome’s University. The Leadership Conference compliments the over 100 leadership opportunities available to students at SJU, giving students an opportunity to explore their leadership potential and to continue to hone their skills.
The conference is completely organized and facilitated by students, meaning the presenters understand what their audience is going through and give meaningful presentations that students can actually connect with and apply to their own leadership abilities.
This year I presented with another Residence Don on the topic of ‘Failing Forward’, and what it means to learn from failure; particularly, failures that we know other students might be experiencing because we’ve experienced them ourselves. Other topics included how to work effectively in groups based off of your own leadership style, how to set goals that you can actually accomplish, and different ways you can be reflective as a leader (including through fake instagrams).
Aligning with the commitment to social justice found at St. Jerome’s University, the Leadership Conference helps all students become better leaders and consider what it means to them to be a leader in society and the world today. This year’s conference theme, ‘Lead the Way’, was all about reflecting on your own leadership experience and ability, and applying it to the world around you.
One of the many reasons why I was drawn to St. Jerome’s University was their understanding of the importance of educating the whole person.
SJU recognizes that in order to get the most out of their university experience, students need the opportunity to grow and learn outside of the classroom. Whether obvious or not, all of the opportunities and experiences in which SJU students can participate help them grow in one way or another, and offer various ways for students to get involved in the community. The leadership conference is just one example of hundreds. The diversity of the co-curricular experiences offered at SJU is immense and ensures that there truly is something for everyone at St. Jerome’s University.
