Keynotes

If you had only 72 hours to live, what would you do? What are you doing today to make a difference in our society? Does your action or inaction have a ripple effect that impacts others? In this thought-provoking session, you will explore the tremendous value associated with “giving.” Your life matters because you were born on purpose. Living with an attitude of gratitude and serving others transforms lives. Marlon will share insights and encouragement for maximizing your experience during this NCSL conference as well as strategies for continuing the momentum when you return home.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the importance of maximizing your time.
   
2. Learn strategies for developing rapport with others.
   
3. Articulate the value of “Servant Leadership.”
   

Find your excellence and bring out excellence in others! As student leaders, you have the opportunity to create a culture of high quality in your organizations. Your ability to lead your team is directly related to how you create and maintain connections internally as well as across campus. The five keys to excellence will help you connect what you do with who you are to maximize your influence on campus and beyond. Learn and practice tools you can use immediately to make the connections between what you learn, who you know, and how you lead to sustain your impact. Your lasting leadership (“Your Excellence-y”) is your life’s legacy!

Learning Outcomes

1. Get motivated to be excellent in your leadership role on campus.
   
2. Learn the five keys of excellence and how to apply them to your life.
   
3. Make a connection between your actions and your values.
   
4. Feel energized to be part of the conference community and have take-away activities for later use.
   

Driven by spoken word artistry, movement, and hip hop theater, this performance will showcase the work of several First Wave student artists. First Wave performers are undergraduates at the University of Wisconsin-Madison pursuing urban art forms in an intensive creative program in exchange for a full-tuition scholarship. These students' one-(wo)man and ensemble shows demonstrate how hip hop culture can be explored and utilized through the medium of theater and storytelling, while exposing the inner monologues of a generation in transition. All shows were written by the performers themselves, a cast composed of some of the top young artists from around the country.

As a leader, what is your emotional impact on others? It may be greater than you realize. Recent research proves that emotions (especially the emotions of a leader) have an enormous impact not only on building relationships and making connections, but also on creativity, intellectual capacity, and overall success. Learn that it’s not what you say; it’s how you say it in this transformative session. Through live-action scenes, insightful data, and comedy that hits home (because you’ve probably seen it happen), you’ll leave with new insights and practical strategies that will transform the way you live, learn, and work.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify common traits of leadership role models.
   
2. Learn how your emotions can impact the resonance or dissonance of your organizational situation.
   
3. Find out how negative emotions can impact your ability to influence, connect, and lead.
   
4. Build your awareness of your own Emotional Intelligence.
   
5. Practice new listening skills and be more present when it counts.
   

What sustains a good leader or good organization in times of transition? How does a leader build strong relationships, communicate effectively, and inspire individuals to become motivated team members? Which team member reflects which leadership style? Most importantly, what motivates you as a leader? Combining humor with interactive exercises, Joe and Bil help participants explore these questions. With this understanding, participants will learn how to effectively motivate and inspire others to action, and to create sustainable organizations.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand your leadership and communication style as well as those of your organization members.
   
2. Learn strategies to build stronger relationships and communicate more effectively, thus inspiring team members to take the necessary actions to move your organization forward.
   
3. Articulate tangible strategies to increase an organization’s effectiveness and create sustainable organizations.