The annual Synergy Conference at Saint Xavier University will not be held this year. This is because there were not enough session proposals from students, staff, and faculty for the event to run effectively. This news came as a shock to many people, especially student leaders who are required to attend this event each year.
It will be upsetting that the event will not be held in the same format as in the past, but the Center of Success has created alternative ways to attend Synergy events. Instead of having a whole day of synergy like it was held in the past, there are now events that can be attended virtually starting this week up to April 16th.
Students can register for all these events on TheDen. To fill the attendance requirement for Synergy, each student must attend at least four Synergy events and document that they were there by taking a screenshot of the Zoom call and writing about the event. This can all be turned in on one document and submitted onto the Cougar Lead Canvas page.
To get more information about this a la carte format for Synergy, I spoke with Joshua Bogaski-Baugh from the Center of Success. Some vital information that he mentioned is that there will be more events being customized and updated throughout the semester. Bogaski-Baugh explained further that the coordinators behind synergy emphasized that “leadership presents itself in a variety of forms and it was important to make sure we recognize that and approve events that span several areas.” These events were created to build leadership skills that many already possess and develop and learn skills to help in any future endeavors.
Many of the events showcase leadership skills and goals to sharpen the students’ skills as leaders, as well as, demonstrate the importance of constantly learning and improving your skill set even with years of experience under your belt. By attending events like Synergy and gaining leadership experience, it not only helps you at SXU but as a leader in the workforce as well. Bogaski-Baugh also emphasized that the areas that will be highlighted throughout each of the events include “student success, career development, leadership identity development, and personal development.”
There are many qualities of leadership that can benefit every aspect of a person’s life. As people figure out their strengths and weaknesses, they will become better leaders in all environments and better people as they learn more about themselves and how they can use their skills to benefit others.
These events will be hosted by many different individuals that have a lot of experience in their specific field, and the events will discuss a variety of topics. They are all centered around student success and benefiting each individual who is attending the event. In these unprecedented times, adaptability is key, and finding ways to connect with others is valued and necessary.
Taking time to participate in these events will cause many to learn a lot about themselves and what they have to offer. It will also broaden many students’ horizons in different aspects of leadership and life. The Synergy events have already commenced, and it is not too late to attend and reflect on yourself as a leader and as a person.