An Interview on The UMSL Emerging Leaders Program

One of our ambassadors recently interviewed a fellow ambassador, Awa Konte, concerning the Emerging Leaders Program here at UMSL and her role as a leader within the program. 

Q: What is Emerging Leaders?
A: Emerging Leaders is a leadership program for young leaders who are developing or starting to create there own skills. 

Q: How did you become a mentor in Emerging Leaders?
A: At first I wasn't involved at UMSL and personally didn't see myself as a leader. But then I joined Emerging Leaders and from that program I learned that being a leader didn't mean fitting into some stereotypical mold.I saw that I could be a leader and within the program I learned to become one.
After Emerging Leaders I joined the next sequential program called Advanced Leaders. When that had finished Jenna and Aaron, the leaders of these programs, asked me if I would be interested in mentoring those joining the Emerging Leaders Program and I jumped on the chance. 

Q: What do you enjoy about being a mentor?
A: I enjoy relating to my mentees and helping them grow within the time given.

Q:What did you learn from being a mentor?
A: I learned to stop being anxious about talking to people that aren't like me. In other words I learned how to relate better to others. 

Q: What are your responsibilities as a Emerging Leader mentor?
A: You have to meet three times within the semester one on one with your mentees. I personally go to all the meetings that my mentees attend though you aren't required to do this. I also make sure that my mentees are held accountable and staying on top of their work within the program. 

Q: What have you gotten out of the Emerging Leaders program?
A: I have gained relationships and genuine connections because of this program.

Ambassadors Attend "Women in the Black Panther Movement"

To kick-off Black History Month here at UMSL, a UPB Lunch and Learn was held titled “Women in the Black Panther Movement” on February 7^th. Some of our Ambassadors went to this event to show support and educate themselves on one of America’s most historical and influential groups for civil rights in our country.

What are your first thoughts when you hear the words Black Panthers? Do the images of hyper-masculine men appear? Or do you get the image of a group of men who organized a breakfast program for young minorities so that they could do better in school? The latter unlike the former is something that most people haven’t had the chance to hear about or see until they do the research themselves. Another aspect of the Party that is not widely known is the fact is that most of the organization consisted of women.  The Black Panthers: Vanguards of the Revolution documentary explores legacy of the Party and the role of women in The Black Panther Party.

The women such as Deborah Johnson, Ericka Huggins, Kathleen Clever, Ora Williams, and Phyllis Johnson just to name a few had a very strong impact on the Party as a whole. Phyllis Johnson was responsible for answering phones and Ora Williams making breakfast and others were to aid in contacting member of Congress. These positions may seem very mundane compared to what was being portrayed in the media. However, these leadership roles were the glue that held the organization together.

But there were times that the women did challenge their current roles and spread their message throughout media. They thought if they were being portrayed as they were: strong, intelligent, and independent, they could potentially empower other women to stand up for the issues that they believed in. So the next time you think of The Black Panthers, also think about how much of an impact women had on the Party as a whole.

Join us the rest of the month at other Black History Month events, which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1379664855412003/ .

Women’s Leadership Institute

The 2^nd Annual Women’s Leadership Institute is being hosted on March 10^th, 2017 by the Office of Student Involvement, sponsored by UMSL’s Women’s Giving Circle. The Women’s Leadership Institute aims to enhance leadership abilities, increase awareness of personal skills, and assist women in developing learning strategies to help them create positive sustainable change in their communities.

It is a free, one-day conference that will address challenges faced by women in leadership roles. There are workshops beforehand that will offer tips about networking so you will better be able to network with individuals at the Networking Lunch provided during the workshop. There will be presenters and speakers from the St. Louis region and a closing panel so you will have the opportunity to ask your own questions about success as a woman in a leadership position.

This is a great opportunity for our UMSL Ambassadors, all learning to be better leaders.Why not attend this conference and make connections potentially in your field to help with potential employment after graduation?

Remember it’s FREE! Take advantage of what UMSL has to offer (this is where your tuition money goes).

To learn more information about the Leadership Institute, follow the link below:

http://www.umsl.edu/studentinvolvement/Leadership%20Programs/Women%20Leadership%20Institute%20.html