NYLEC Conference

Hours: 6:00am - 7:00pm

Attended the 2009 New York Leadership Education Conference at SUNY Cortland with Bob, Trish, and the 2 other graduate interns. Attended 3 ed. sessions (Leadership through experiential education, Leadership course development, and developing peer mentor programs) and 2 keynotes (RandyMcCrillis - Infusing diversity into your leadership programs; and Joyce Cohen - Leadership in relation to career development and interests). Networked with a number of professionals at other SUNY schools including SUNY Oneonta, RIT, Brockport, SUNY Purchase, SUNY Geneseo (Tom Matthews), Alfred University, and UB regarding topics such as millenials, parents, diversity, service-learning, and diversity.

I gained new appreciation for SPA professionals as faculty members. it's a tough position to be in, especially without a Ph.D. because we are charged with course development, and have similar responsibilities to faculty members, but don't have the credibility without the degree. Especially when it comes to a concept as ill-defined (literally - there is no single definition) as "Leadership".

In teaching/discussion diversity, the conversation seems to have been focused on a sociological perspective (power, privilege, and oppression), then a business/management perspective (communication/conflict), and now given the millenial perspective on diversity, it may be time to take a more skills based psychological approach to "teaching" diversity. We've deconstructed the concept for so long that "diversity" has little meaning to millenial students. In addressing diversity, especially in regard to leadership development, we need to lead by example by NOT segregating the conversation on diversity - integrate it into every part of every thing that we do. We should focus on the skills to recognies stereotypes and biases in ourselves and others, and what to do about it once we do acknowledge prejudices. It's time for the conversation to move forward.