Student leaders take part in national conference

Faculty member Dr. Susan Schaeffer accompanied the group which included Lane Swedberg, Jake Rissler, Danny Reynaga, Nate Jones, Jon Lordino, Dani Buckley and Erica Misner.

The CSC students had the chance to become certified in leadership and work with students from coast to coast and even a few foreign countries.

In the Certified Student Leader Course, each participant developed a personal goal and created a goal-achieving map to reach the goal. These ranged from getting students engaged on campus to a possible fire-pit on campus.

The conference offered a wide array of different workshops, even meditating and stress control.

Senate President Jake Rissler said keynote speakers ranged from those with military backgrounds to founders of etiquette companies and also personal finance experts.

He added that one of the best breakout sessions addressed personal finance and budget led by Peter Bielagus who also taught participants how to recognize and attain effective negotiation skills.

Rissler’s other favorite sessions were presented by Cynthia Grosso, the founder of the Charleston School of Protocol & Etiquette: “Dressing for Success” and “The Art of Listening.”

“My personal philosophy is that you must make yourself the best you can be before you can help the organization you are a part of the best it can be,” Rissler said.

Senate V.P. Nate Jones said the NCSL conference was an overall fantastic experience for student leaders to improve their leadership skills and see a different part of the country with a unique culture.

“My favorite workshops focused on effective communication as a leader, because that is something I personally needed to work on. The program was one of a kind and I don't believe that any online learning experience could compare to nor replace the personal connections we made with other attendees,” Jones said.