As I head into the Leadership Educators Institute this weekend I am reminded of the goals I set for myself a year ago for the Women’s Leadership Institute. WLI was one of the best professional development opportunities I have had, due in part to the focus and purpose I brought to the experience. Setting intentions and goals for that conference guided the sessions I chose, the connections I made, and the applications for what I learned. In that same spirit, I have set goals for my time at LEI.
Leadership Educators Institute
I am finishing my first semester at Ohio Dominican University and have an opportunity to transition a Student Activities Office into a Center for Student Involvement. The most obvious difference in this transition is the addition of leadership development initiatives to our work. I am looking forward to LEI as an opportunity to learn from the work and research of others and translate it to my own work at ODU.
Goal 1: Expand my leadership knowledge and resources
- Attend sessions about Servant Leadership, Retention, and Readiness
- Keep a log of suggested readings and resources
- Frame learning in ways that will benefit my work at a small, private, catholic college
Goal 2: Take advantage of informal learning opportunities
- Connect with old and new colleagues over meals and at receptions
- Attend the ACPA Commission for Student Involvement Coffee & Convo
- Be Present. Chat with people in line for coffee instead of scrolling on my phone. I have made some great conference connections this way, but it’s not my default mode.
Goal 3: Share my own knowledge and experiences
- Tweet information during educational sessions using the #LEI12 hashtag
- Blog sharing reflections and what I have learned
- Present a Session at LEI with Mike Severy on Living Learning Communities: Developing Student Leadership Capacity
BONUS CHALLENGE: Find a way to publish what I learn and implement from LEI and its application to my work at ODU.
My plan is to reflect on these goals as I progress through the conference and to share a final reflection after I get back into the office. Follow the conversation on twitter by following me or searching for #LEI12.
