Defining A "Leader"

Leader: (noun) 1. A person who leads or commands a group, organization or community.

                                   2. A person followed by others.

This is how a leader is defined by the Dictionary; however there are many other ways to be a good leader.  I believe that being a good leader incorporates many different aspects of your own character.

v  A good leader is secure in their abilities and feels confident in their decision making. 

v  A good leader is someone who does not look to others to make their decisions; they can make their own and feel confident with the decision, but is also not afraid to admit when they are wrong. 

v  A great leader can be anyone of us but we need to tools to take what we know and use it to help others. 

A leader can be a good friend or someone who helps others and gives back to the community.  Being a leader is something everyone can do.  This year’s Leadership Conference promises to help us find our “leadership voice”.  We will have the opportunity to learn the tools that we need to make our voice heard and impact those around you.  We hope you will take away all the tools you need to become a leader or become a stronger leader in your community.  We are lucky to be put in the position that we are in because it gives us the opportunity to influence those around us and hopefully impact our peers for the better.  

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”.

John Quincy Adams

I can't wait to see you all at the 7th Annual Manhattanville Leadership Conference. 

-Elizabeth Terlizzi, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee (since 2009) and Senior RA

Manhattanville College Leadership Conference: A Look Back

My name is Melat and this is my blog.

I remember the first time I heard about the Manhattanville College Annual Leadership Conference. As a person that enjoys organizing, and as a student who is still trying to learn the ins and outs of the game, the Leadership Conference seemed like a wonderful idea. So, the next year, I joined the Leadership Conference Committee.

Last year, we all had a wonderful time. In the morning, we all had the chance to get together and meet other fellow students. And throughout the day, we enjoyed presentation from students, faculty and staff. We spiced our day with some lunch and relaxed with yoga. To say the least, our day was nothing short of fun.

And now, only a few months away from the next Annual Leadership Conference, the excitement is building and we are all working hard to meet the high expectations. Passing on my rather late thank you to all those who attended last year’s conference and gave us their comment, on behalf of the Leadership Conference Committee, I would like to invite you all to join us for the 7^th Annual Leadership Conference.

-Melat Gebremichael, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee Member (since 2009)

Welcome Back to the Manhattanville College 7th Annual Leadership Conference Blog

Hi All!

Welcome, or for some of you, welcome back to the Manhattanville College Annual Leadership Conference blog page! This page was created to keep all of our followers up-to-date on conference happenings, hear candid insight from the members of the Leadership Conference committee and give readers the opportunity to share information with conference planners and other student leaders on the topic of leadership. This will be a go-to hub of information about all things leadership. And don't forget to save the date for this year's conference which will take place on the campus of Manhattanville College on Saturday, February 18, 2011 at 8:30AM in Reid Castle.

This year as we began planning the conference and explored topics and themes of interest to student leaders at Manhattanville and beyond, we did some deep soul searching to determine what we thought every student leader needed to know to be successful during and after college. The answer was very clear and very simple....you need to know YOURSELF! So this year, our theme, “BE A SHOWSTOPPER: Finding Your Leadership Voice” will address the age old question, "Who am I, how do I share who I am or 'find my voice' within the world?" Let us help you find out! From exploring topics of career choice to self-advocacy in the community to resolving conflict in the classroom/workplace, we will explore all things that will encourage you to be a better leader by encouraing you to be your "authentic self" (Thanks Oprah!). 

This blog will be updated each week, featuring a special guest blogger from the Leadership Conference committee, who will update you on the current happenings of the committee, offer exciting updates for the conference and their own personal reflections on how they are "finding their leadership voice." We encourage everyone to feel free to leave feedback, ask questions and utilize this space to connect with other student leaders from all over the world. We hope that this blog will become a great platform to share ideas, answer questions and help every student become the best student leader that they can possibly be.

Keep an eye out for information regarding how to get involved in the Manhattanville Leadership Conference as well as information on how to register for the conference in the next few weeks. And as always, if you are interested in getting more involved by presenting on a topic related to our theme, "BE A SHOWSTOPPER: Finding Your Leadership Voice," feel free to contact anyone on the committee or reach out to us at our email leadershipconference@mville.edu. We are looking to have everyone get involved!  

I'm so excited to be a part of this great event and I hope everyone will be inspired to come out and get involved -- by presenting, by volunteering, by attending or just by commenting on this blog. There is no time like the present to "Find Your Leadership Voice." I hope you will join us on Saturday, February 18, 2011 ! Have a relaxing break and wonderful holiday season and we’ll be seeing you soon!

-Kia Brown, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee Co-Chair