Over the weekend more than 80 students attended the annual Penn State Behrend Leadership Conference at the Bayfront Convention Center. Friday night, attendees stayed in a hotel attached to the Convention Center, listened to speakers, were mystified by a magician and attended a variety of breakout sessions. Planning the conference was a joint effort between the staff in the Student Activities Office. The Leadership Ambassadors, a new group as of last year, helped out the Student Activities staff in running the conference.

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Students were able to choose between the different breakout sessions being taught by Behrend faculty, alumni and current students. These addressed various group skills, individual leadership skills, personal development and plans for the university. There were five breakout sessions, two in the morning and three after lunch.

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“I learned a lot of different leadership skills, things that I wouldn’t have thought about before,” said Alexandra Oliver, junior plastics engineering technology major, and first time attendee. Although Oliver has been involved in multiple clubs on campus and holds positions, she had never been to the conference. “When you hear experiences from other people, even the alumni that are here, they were in our position just a few years ago and all of them have changed so much since then because of things they’ve learned,” Oliver said.

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Several Behrend alumni presented at the conference, where they were able to give current students a positive experience like they had during their time at Behrend. This also served as a way for alumni to network and practice presenting.

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Alumni, former LEB Executive Director and Donor Relations Manager at the Erie Philharmonic, Vee Butler, was one of many people who presented a breakout session. Butler presented “Feeling Vulnerable at the Top,” which discussed how to lead and be strong while also being vulnerable and relatable and earning the trust of those following.

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“Everyone chose to be here for a reason. To learn something, either personally, professionally, socially or for the club, but I hope they meet that goal,” Butler said in regards to what she hopes students got from the conference. “Whatever that goal is for them, I hope they were able to find it in between the lines and take it home.” Butler also emphasized how her experiences as a student leader transferred easily to her major, arts administration, and to her career.

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The conference brought in a number of new students, including freshman that are learning the leadership ropes. Dylan Womer, a freshman plastics engineering technology major, has joined a few clubs at Behrend and decided to attend the conference.

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“I learned a lot of tips about a lot of different things: leadership, study habits, how to communicate well with others in group exercises,” Womer said at the end of the conference. “I think it’ll help me try to experience more clubs and get out there and get involved more.”

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There were also students who had been to several Behrend Leadership Conferences in attendance. Every year the conference has different sessions and speakers, so returning students always have something new to learn.

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“Leadership is a process. It doesn’t just happen. You have to grow at it and you have to self reflect a lot in order to be a good leader,” explained Carolyn Tome, LEB Executive Director and senior communication major. Tome has presented at the conference and attended the past few conferences. She’s also getting ready to graduate in a short few months. “Seeing alums here is inspiring enough. It makes me feel like I can learn from them and talk to them, that I will have the success that they have,” said Tome. “It makes me feel better as a leader hearing them acknowledge what worked for them and what didn’t work for them.”

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“Sometimes this may be the first or only time a student can go to a conference like this, to even dress in business casual, it’s just opening up that business professional world. As a student you may not get to experience it otherwise until you’re already in the real world,” said Jaime McCaslin, Coordinator of Student Organizations and Program Development.

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The Student Activities Office asked students to fill out assessments after each breakout session and at the end of the conference. These will be used to look at what students liked and what can be improved.

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“The most valuable that everyone mentioned was the breakout sessions and having so much to pick from,” McCaslin said of the assessments. “It’s really good to have this information this year to be able to plan for next year.”

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Several students encouraged others to attend the conference next year since the experience alone provides new and former attendees the opportunity to discover and improve upon the various areas of leadership.