NYC Peer Leadership Conference 2009

On Wednesday, October 14th over 400 New York Peer Leaders met in South Hall at Riverside Church in Hamilton Heights.  The purpose of this meeting was to build onto the leadership training that Peer Leaders received this summer at their respective workshops. 

During the morning plenary session students were treated to an inspiring welcome speech by Teri Coaxum, Deputy State Director in Senator Chuck Shumer’s office, where she encouraged students to challenge their ideas of success and how education can help them reach their goals.

By workshop, students were then dismissed to various breakout sessions, both at Riverside Church and nearby Teachers College, where they focused on the following:

1. Identifying their individual leadership style and how it can work in tandem with others of different leadership styles toward mutual goals

2. Increasing each student’s fluency in the various SUNY and CUNY schools

3. Developing a Take Action Plan (TAP Report) for their schools.  A set of concrete steps that Peer Leaders plan to implement in their schools as it relates to motivating college going

The main highlight of the afternoon was a visit from the Chancellor of NYC Public Schools, Joel Klein. A special group of peer leaders had a conversation with him and then later, he shared with the whole group some of his personal philosophies about how higher education can empower communities as well as individuals.

Deloitte also served as co-sponsor of the conference and ran a special Deloitte session for select students.  Kaplan Mobray, Deloitte’s U.S. Diversity Recruitment Leader shared some motivating words and some of his musical talent with students once they reconvened in South Hall for the afternoon session. 

The day closed with an impromptu talent show where our Peer Leaders demonstrated that they know how to have a good time too - by acting, dancing, singing, rapping and reciting poetry.

Special thanks to CS Alumni: Kadeem Baker, Kamara Grenardo, Vinh Lu and Andres Marrero for helping with the day’s logistics.