Concurrent Sessions By Day

CONCURRENT SESSIONS 1

Thursday, May 31, 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.
Concurrent Session 1-A

The OΔK Annual Conference 2020
National Leadership Conference Design Team
5001, Janet Ayers Academic Center

Join members of the design team and OΔK staff for an open session about planning for the OΔK annual conference which begins in 2020.

OΔK Campus Conversations Program, Part One
National Advisory Council
5003, Janet Ayers Academic Center

Be the first to learn about Omicron Delta Kappa’s new national signature program. The Campus Conversations program will help your circle bring leaders together to have meaningful, productive conversations about important matters in your community. In part one, be introduced to the program and learn about the resources available to circles. In part two, participate in a facilitator workshop to gain first-hand skills for fostering collaborative conversations at your institution.

8:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions 1-B

Diversity Toolkit for OΔK Circles
OΔK Diversity and Inclusion Committee
5004, Janet Ayers Academic Center
Aligned with Omicron Delta Kappa’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Diversity and Inclusion task force has developed the diversity and inclusion tool-kits as a resource to help circle officers and circle student leaders, infuse diversity and inclusion throughout their circles functions.

The Stone Ethical Leadership Program
OΔK Leadership Development Programs
5005, Janet Ayers Academic Center
We are often confronted by difficult decisions that challenge our values and ethics that lead us to struggle with making the “right” decision. This workshop is a pilot run of one of the new elements in the Stone Ethical Challenge. The program examines several ethical approaches and challenges participants to consider the basis of the decisions they make daily.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS 2

Friday, June 1, 11 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.

Programming for New Circles and Officers
Dr. Joseph Bouchelle, Southern Virginia University
5001, Janet Ayers Academic Center

We love the leadership and service for which OΔK stands. Many yearn for more robust programming efforts for our circles, yet we all have various professional duties, loved ones, deadlines, and a desire for quiet time and relaxation. How can we balance all these needs and provide a meaningful program for our circle members?
In this session, we will be provided with some ready-made programming efforts, traditional OΔK programs, ideas for simple OΔK events, and other activities which can offer a depth and breadth to your circle’s programming efforts. Additionally, participants will be asked if they’d like to share their favorite programming endeavors. Following this workshop-style conversation, attendees should come away with several activities applicable to their circles and the ways to accomplish them from start to finish.

S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Leadership Development
Megan McInnis, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
5003 Janet Ayers Academic Center

When setting goals, leaders must balance the demands of tasks and relationships. This session allows each participant to walk out with a personalized action plan for two years of leadership development. This highly interactive workshop is ideal for undergraduate or graduate students as well as those working with students who want to help them with leadership development.

Engaging, Advising, and Developing Generation Z Students
Dr. Corey Seemiller, Wright State University
Vince Gill Room, The Curb Event Center

Generation Z has different motivations, interests, and passions than Millennials, yet we still use our same old tricks to engage, advise, and develop them. Participants in this session will break into small discussion groups for deeper dialogue on how to best design opportunities, programming, and experiences to engage those Gen Zers!

Zing! Your Life and Leadership
Nancy Hunter Denney, Lead365
5005 Janet Ayers Academic Center

Where is the “it” you need when you need it? Simply put, your ability to lead is directly related to your ability to influence others. Taking strategies from her book, Zing! Your Life and Leadership, Nancy Hunter Denney will offer a creative way of defining what it means to be a leader in this day and time. Overcoming various obstacles and having the proper perspective are just two parts of the formula. Influence can happen in an instant or span a lifetime. This session challenges you to always remember what time it is and the opportunities ahead.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS 3

Saturday, June 2, 9 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.

Circle Programming Strategies That Will Have Your Members Singing, “I Will Always Love You!”
Matthew Yelle, Stephanie Gray, Sage Williams, and Shane Reynolds, Stephen F. Austin State University
5001 Janet Ayers Academic Center

OΔK members are busy people, and their schedules often extend beyond “9 to 5.” How can your circle involve these leaders who are already so committed on campus and in the community? This session will focus on member engagement and the overall impact it plays on circle retention. We will discuss the “life-cycle” of a member within a circle and key programs and initiatives that are vital to the membership experience. Come discuss a data-driven approach to increasing the value of membership for your student leaders and learn how to be intentional in facilitating programming that will have your members singing, “I Will Always Love OΔK!”

Developing Leadership Soft Skills
Kathryn Stoudemire & Madeline Carzon, University of South Carolina, Columbia
5003 Janet Ayers Academic Center

Soft skills are described as those personal attributes and traits that facilitate harmonious working relationships with other people. Research studies have shown that leadership is one of the most in-demand soft skills followed by communication, collaboration, and time management. For even the strongest of leaders, biggest challenges include conveying a point, working cohesively with others, and finding the time to do everything. As lifetime members of a national leadership honor society, we have the ability to not only act as directors of change on college campuses but in larger community settings after graduation and beyond. This session will incorporate reflection and interactive activities to address leadership development and member engagement as it pertains to Omicron Delta Kappa members.

The Circle Never Ends: Enhancing Alumni Engagement
Joel Hermann & Clayton Bond, Fontbonne University
5004 Janet Ayers Academic Center

The Omicron Delta Kappa initiation script discusses our key – struck off in the form of a circle that symbolizes union forever. Unfortunately, that concept of “forever” often fades away as members cross the stage at commencement. But the circle of OΔK membership truly never ends, and it is important for current members to highlight alumni and the impact they left on the organization in new and exciting ways.

In this session, participants will engage in conversations about best practices surrounding alumni engagement, recognition, and circle history. Utilizing the strengths and weaknesses of one’s circle and campus as a whole, participants will develop a comprehensive action plan that will allow for

Losing Can Still Help You Win: One Dweeb’s Personal Approach to Academic Success
Dr. Gene Siegal, University of Louisville
5005 Janet Ayers Academic Center

We all know some students who seem on the road to success as 12-year-olds but are washed out or burned out by the time they are 21. The stories of his or her opposite are often more interesting – the young person who achieves great academic success seemingly against all odds and out of nowhere.

This session, featuring a successful physician who was something of high school underachiever, explores life lessons about strategies leading to greater achievement. In the case of the presenter, success was realized in the fields of medicine and science, but there is nothing magical about these strategies which couldn’t be applied to English literature or business administration. Also, because there is great value in ‘holding up a mirror’ and looking at one’s own success stories, session participants will be given the opportunity to share and identify their triumphs.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS 4

Saturday, June 2, 2 p.m. – 3:10 p.m

Creating OΔK Signature Programs
Dr. Bruce Forbes, Jesse Nitzsche, & Marisa Christie, Morningside College
5001 Janet Ayers Academic Center

Many of the stronger OΔK circles sponsor at least one annual “signature event,” a program or activity that simultaneously contributes to the school or community and also enhances the reputation of the OΔK circle on campus. This session will offer principles and suggestions about how to choose such an event for your circle and how to develop it. Teams of students from Morningside College and two additional circles that sponsor one or more signature event will describe their major activities. This session will also include group discussions applying the principles and examples to each circle’s local situation.

Beyond Diversity to Equity and Inclusion
Rev. Dr. Jamie Washington, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
5003 Janet Ayers Academic Center

Campuses and organizations have been working hard to increase demographic diversity for more than 50 years. These efforts have resulted in work places and campus communities that are vibrant and full of opportunities and challenges. This session will focus on the “Now What?” How do we move beyond the optics of diversity to more equitable and inclusive campus environments?

Healthy Circles
Membership & Circle Standards Committee
5004 Janet Ayers Academic Center

Is your circle as active and healthy as it should be? Taking care of your circle is important no matter its age. Come explore ways to
improve circle well-being including setting regular meeting times, strengthening your core recruitment efforts, having a balanced
membership roster from across the 5 phases, and collaborating with leaders throughout your campus and community. We will help you
conduct a circle check-up and create a plan to make your circle healthier and stronger. No co-pays are required for this interactive session with Dr. Tim Reed and the OΔK Membership and Circle Standards Committee.

OΔK to Career: Integrating Co-Curricular Experiences into Professional Documents and Interviews
Jamie Bouldin, Stephen F. Austin State University
5005 Janet Ayers Academic Center

Employers state they are seeking candidates with proven skills in leadership, communication, problem-solving, work ethic, initiative, and analytical/quantitative abilities, among others. Omicron Delta Kappa collegiate leaders have opportunities to gain experience in all these areas through their co-curricular involvement, but members must be able to articulate these skills in resumes and cover letters, as well as during the interview process, to advocate for themselves when seeking employment. This presentation will present results of recent research and surveys, outline the skills employers are looking for in recent college graduates, and demonstrate how participation in Omicron Delta Kappa can provide fertile ground for developing and honing these marketable skills. Participants will have the opportunity to outline and practice articulating their talents and experiences and application of both to the world of work.

CONCURRENT SESSIONS 5

June 2, 3:15 p.m. – 4:25 p.m.

Campus Conversations Part Two
National Advisory Council
5001 Janet Ayers Academic Center
Be the first to learn about Omicron Delta Kappa’s new national signature program. The Campus Conversations program will help your circle bring leaders together to have meaningful, productive conversations about important matters in your community. In part one, be introduced to the program and learn about the resources available to circles. In part two, participate in a facilitator workshop to gain first-hand skills for fostering collaborative conversations at your institution.

Leadership in Athletics
Tom Bowen, University of Memphis
5003 Janet Ayers Academic Center

Nearly every day, one has the opportunity to read about an ongoing scandal in intercollegiate athletics. Managing a large organization, such as an athletic department, has special challenges given the ages of the student-athletes, large numbers of employees, complexities of NCAA rules, and pressures from fans and donors to be successful. In this session, Tom Bowen, athletic director at the University of Memphis, will describe setting high standards, managing expectations, and creating a departmental culture that succeeds on the court, in the classroom, and throughout the community.

Strengthening Your Foundation: Engaging Your Campus via Pillar Programs
Meredith Amelotti, Morgan Patterson, & Lucas Diffey, Fontbonne University
5004 Janet Ayers Academic Center

It is understood that circles often struggle with educating their entire campus about exactly “what” Omicron Delta Kappa represents. The Society prides itself on highlighting members that excel within various pillars or phases of campus life. To inform the campus community about these distinct pillars, and to showcase programming from each, the Fontbonne University Circle introduced “Pillar Programming” to the school in 2014. Through utilizing the five pillars as a programming model, the circle hosts five signature events every year to complement the work being done by student leaders in each phase. In this session, participants will learn about the model and be challenged to implement this action plan at other institutions.

Change Leadership: The Only Constant is Change
Dr. Kim Davey, Samford
5005 Janet Ayers Academic Center

The familiar adage states that the only constant in life is change. Leaders face this reality on a daily basis. Effective leaders understand that change is a constant and that leaders play a pivotal role in leading and managing change within their organization. This session will introduce attendees to the concepts of change leadership and management. It will use John Kotter’s classic text Leading Change to identify the eight stages of organizational change and strategies for successfully leading and managing change at each stage. The session will also address common mistakes leaders make related to organizational change.