Oakland University to host sixth annual Student Leadership Conference May 5

Author and entrepreneur Arel Moodie will keynote the sixth annual Student Leadership Conference at Oakland University May 5.

Students and administrators from high schools across Oakland County will gather at Oakland University on Tuesday, May 5, for the sixth annual Student Leadership Conference. Organized by the Learning Achievement Coalition-Oakland, (LACO), in conjunction with Oakland University, the daylong event will offer a series of breakout sessions focused on creating a positive learning environment for students of all backgrounds.

With the theme of “Creating a Vision for Life,” the conference will feature a keynote presentation by Arel Moodie, an entrepreneur and best-selling author who has drawn praise from various media outlets and captured the attention of President Obama. Moodie was named to Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list of top American entrepreneurs under the age of 30 and Black Enterprise Magazine’s list of the “Top Tycoons under 35.” Essence Magazine called him “America’s top young speaker.” The Brooklyn native overcame a tumultuous upbringing to build a million dollar production and education company in his 20s and has shared his story with audiences in 48 states and five countries. He has also been quoted in The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, among other publications.

“The planning committee has worked diligently to identify a vibrant engaging keynote speaker who will speak to relevant issues that teens are facing today,” said Lisa A. Reeves, executive director in the OU School of Education and Human Services’ Outreach and Program Services Office. She added that the breakout sessions “are tailored to the 21^st-century school climate” and that students will “be empowered to reflect on current events and reimagine how they may create a vision within their school environment.”

Conference breakout sessions – presented by faculty, staff and students from Oakland University, Oakland Schools and Oakland County high schools – will be presented throughout the day. Sessions for students will highlight a range of topics, including creating a positive school culture, getting into college, becoming a leader through social media, and identifying one’s personality type and leadership style. Sessions for administrators will focus on characteristics of a culturally proficient leader, the intersection of racial identity and academic identity in African American adolescent males, leveraging technology for learning, and creating a positive school culture through effective communication.

Comprised of representatives from the 28 Oakland County school districts, Oakland Schools and Oakland University, The Learning Achievement Coalition-Oakland sponsors the Student Leadership Conference as part of a mission to close the achievement gap that separates people of various racial and socioeconomic groups.

Registration will start at 7:30 a.m. in Wilson Hall on OU’s campus and the event will conclude at 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided. For directions, view the campus map. For more information on the 2015 Student Leadership Conference, contact Lisa A. Reeves at (248) 370-3336 or reeves2@oakland.edu.