For the first time in SXU history, the Student Support Program (SSP) has teamed up with Emerging Scholars to take seven students to a leadership conference in Atlanta Georgia.
They took the initiative to attend the “Black Students Lead” Conference that invited a multitude of students from different colleges to collaborate and learn from each other. This was an amazing opportunity for all students who have decided to dedicate themselves to leadership in a new environment!
ChrisTina Edwards, the Director of TRIO Student Support Services and Ryhan Gillard, the Project Director for the Center for Instructional Design and Academic Technology were the overseers of this three-day conference.
Miya Travis, Jeremiah Motley, Hillary Shipp, Aniya Travis, Mario Young, Emaya Bassett, and Kyla Turner were the selected students from Saint Xavier University to be chosen to participate in this opportunity. With only one student having experienced Atlanta before, this was a very new and exciting opportunity for all the students who have not experienced leadership outside of Chicago.
On the first day of the conference the students joined their keynote speaker, Rasheed Ali Cromwell, in his opening remarks and introduction to what the weekend was all about. There was a moment of pure joy as FAMU’s students taught the other students at the conference one of their school’s dance routines to Beyonce’s “Before I Let Go.”
After that, the students had a chance to meet other student leaders from different colleges (HBCUs, HSIs, and PWIs) and discuss ways in which colleges can be segregated among their student population and how knowing key concepts like the First Amendment is used to keep people safe in their freedom to speak and treated fairly in the process.
On the next day, students had the privilege to go to different sessions that discussed many topics related to professionalism, leadership, and being a leader as a person of color. There were many sessions that discussed paramount situations for black students such as being a black face in a white space, unlearning racism, and how colorism has torn the black community apart.
On the last day, the students had a chance to attend one more info-session to conclude their conference schedule.
As a last activity, the students met back with their peers at their individual colleges to collectively discuss how they plan to take what they learn and make their college community better. This gave the black SXU student leaders a plan to bring back and share with their school, and what they came up with is a blueprint for future engagement and home for everyone.
When the seven students went back to school, they gave a presentation about their time in Atlanta, and talked about what they individually learned from the conference. Students even got a chance to share the fun dance routine that was taught to them by FAMU. Emerging Scholars as well as SSP Trio were very proud of the students and their experience. Their opportunity to go and participate in another atmosphere inspired their peers to start applying themselves, try new things, and go to new places.
This made an amazing mark on the progress of the Emerging Scholars Organization. After the pandemic, it took nearly two years to properly relaunch this safe haven for black students. With many info sessions, bi-weekly meetings, and events, this was a great way to end the semester. Opportunities like this will surely keep the students engaged in Emerging Scholars and all it has to offer.
What made this conference iconic for a lot of students was how all of the speakers were black women and men who have had similar experiences as the students who attended. It was a refreshing experience to not only be taught in a manner that is rare, but to also learn in a completely different environment with a multitude of people who did not know each other. This was an amazing way to grow outside the students’ comfort zone.