By Kelsi Peace, Features Editor
The Students’ Association will enhance students’ leadership skills this semester with Invision 2007 and a student government conference in Jacksonville, Fla.
SA will host Invision 2007, a leadership banquet and training session for student leaders on campus, at 6 p.m. on Sunday in the Williams Performing Arts Center. Any organization requesting money from SA is required to send two representatives to Invision.
In the past, students have generally enjoyed Invision but complain it lasts too long, said Jordan Williams, SA executive vice president. This year Invision is scheduled to end at 8:30 p.m.
Williams said he expects about 100 participants, who will enjoy free food, fellowship and speaker Brenda Bertrand, independent consultant for organization and time management company Franklin Covey and Guardian Quest.
Bertrand also works for the United States Office of Personnel Management in Washington, D.C.
Invision is important to help new leaders emerge for the future, as well as to give them some guidance, Williams said.
“Lots of leaders get caught up in the year… before they know it, they’ve failed to pass on their wisdom and experience,” Williams said.
Leaders within SA have an opportunity to train at a conference in Jacksonville, Fla., beginning on March 30 to April 3.
At SA’s first meeting of the semester on Wednesday, Jamie Spires, sophomore integrated marketing communications major from Arlington and chief communications officer, encouraged the 36 members of Congress who were present to apply. Only four students will be selected to attend from those who apply.
The conference focuses on maintaining student government through the summer, which is why she selected it, Spires said.
SA pays for students to attend the conferences with money that has been allotted in the budget, Spires said.
The conference is not religiously affiliated, which exposes students to issues with attitudes not prevalent on a Christian campus, said Spires, who attended a conference last semester.
“I think more of our students’ eyes need to be open to what’s going on,” Spires said.
SA Congress meetings are open to students and are conducted in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, Room 114 at 5 p.m. Wednesdays.
