The first UTM Leadership Symposium, a “one-day hands-on introductory session for student leaders on campus”, took place last Saturday afternoon in the Instructional Centre.
The keynote address, entitled “Lessons on Leadership from My Cute Italian Mom”, was presented by Tony Conte of Ryerson University. Conte, who worked for a number of years in student affairs at the University of Western Ontario, Carleton University, and McMaster University, regaled the student leader audience with a humorous retelling of his personal experience of going into first year at UWO, and how student leadership greatly affected his life in positive ways.
“Dare to make a difference,” Conte urged the audience. “Dare to change the world.”
The student leaders were then split into several groups for breakout sessions. Students and faculty from the Health and Counselling Centre, the AccessAbility Resource Centre, the Department of Physical Education, the Athletics and Recreation, Career Centre, Student Housing and Residence Life, and the International Centre introduced students to their respective resource centres, enabling student leaders to become more aware of the resources offered at UTM and how to better serve their fellow students as student leaders on campus.
Students and faculty regrouped to listen to a brief speech from Deep Saini, UTM’s principal, before departing for the Blind Duck Pub, where they enjoyed a barbecue dinner.
