The 15th annual Student Conference on Leadership is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4 at UNG's Dahlonega Campus. Registration is available at connect.ung.edu.
Article By: Denise Ray
The University of North Georgia (UNG) Student Conference on Leadership will be held 9 a.m. Feb. 4 in the Cottrell Center for Business, Technology & Innovation at UNG's Dahlonega Campus.
This is the 15th annual event and its theme is "150 Years of Developing Leaders." It will highlight the alumni partnership and the leadership that has come out of the university.
"The Student Conference on Leadership is designed to be accessible for all students, regardless if they determine themselves a leader or not," Mallory Rodriguez, director of student life and leadership programs, said. "We call it a conference on leadership to help students take time to explore what leadership means to them and how they can engage in leadership at the university."
Students from all five campuses are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to network with their peers and attend breakout sessions on a variety of leadership topics presented by UNG faculty, staff, and alumni.
"It sounds professional, but it's also very fun and engaging. It's really designed to be something that excites students to really consider their own leadership journeys and take part in that while they're at the university," Rodriguez said.
We call it a conference on leadership to help students take time to explore what leadership means to them and how they can engage in leadership at the university.
Mallory Rodriguez
UNG director of student life and leadership programs
Keynote speaker Jennifer McCall, '03, will help set the tone for the day and motivate our students along their own journey of leadership.
McCall overcame many odds and believes that the struggles she has faced make her a better attorney. A teen mom who had once given up on her dream of becoming an attorney, McCall prevailed and graduated from Georgia State University College of Law with pro bono honors, after graduating from UNG with a bachelor's degree in English.
She worked with a personal injury and civil litigation firm throughout law school and has worked in both general practice and family law firms before starting her own firm.
Fluent in Vietnamese and English, she actively volunteers in the local Vietnamese community and her church. Her additional philanthropic work includes volunteering with Family Promise, Gainesville-Hall County Junior League, the Northeastern Judicial Circuit Bar Association, and Women of UNG Board. She currently serves on the boards of WomenSource, Family Promise, Hall County Family Connections Network, and the UNG Honors Council. McCall is also a pro bono attorney for Rape Response.
"There's an emphasis on leadership development from the university as a designated leadership institution. This is an opportunity to showcase that and continue to encourage our students to continue that legacy of leadership," Rodriguez said.
Students who want to continue their leadership journey can take part in UNG's leadership courses and the interdisciplinary leadership minor.
"Both the conference and the interdisciplinary leadership minor help students visualize themselves as leaders and develop their own personal leadership. In the past, interdisciplinary leadership minor students have found great value in attending and presenting at the conference," Dr. Kathryn Narciso, lecturer of psychological science and leadership minor coordinator, said.
