The Global Student Leadership Summit (GSLS)
The Global Student Leadership Summit (GSLS) is the premier leadership conference for students who are interested in further developing skills related to global diversity, equity, and inclusion. This will be the 8th annual GSLS, which attracts dozens of students from colleges and universities nationwide with a simple goal: to develop the skills essential to being a successful and inclusive leader in a global society.
This year’s GSLS will be held in-person in conjunction with the Global Inclusion Conference in Chicago, IL from October 31-November 2, 2023. Students will participate in leadership sessions, engage in critical dialogue centered on self-reflection and identity, establish and maintain relationships with like-minded student leaders, and connect with professionals from higher education, the public sphere, and private sector. Participation in the GSLS will strengthen students’ leadership skills and develop global competencies including self-awareness, communication, team building, embracing diversity and difference, and more.
WHY GSLS?
The 2023 Global Student Leadership Summit is an immersive opportunity for emerging leaders from all backgrounds to participate in professional development workshops to enhance their career readiness by learning how to articulate and leverage their international experience for career and graduate opportunities. Students will share their global learning experiences with education abroad and diversity professionals in attendance at the conference and discover new career possibilities that would benefit from their global experiences through sponsored panels and information sessions. At the same time, GSLS participants will develop awareness of diversity and inclusion especially as it relates to leadership in a global society and consider solutions to global issues through workshops and case studies. Through networking and community-building activities, students will experience meaningful interactions with student leaders from a variety of different colleges and universities.
GSLS GOALS
- Empower student leaders to realize the skills necessary to make an impact on their campuses and in their career.
- Enrich student understanding of international experience through critical reflection and structured engagement on topics such as identity, social justice, inclusion and access, and leadership
- Encourage students to network with other student leaders and professionals and explore ways to apply their international experience to various career, post-graduate, and academic opportunities
- Energize students to harness their global experiences to make real change on their campus, in their communities and in the world
FUNDING PARTICIPATION
Estimated travel costs include flight/car to Chicago, IL single or double occupancy at the conference hotel, and meals not included in conference registration fee. Students are encouraged to coordinate with their study abroad/education abroad office to participate in the GSLS. A limited number of travel stipends will be available.
Housing/Accommodations
Students and nominating offices are responsible for confirming lodging at the conference hotel. Students interested in sharing a room can indicate this on the registration form and relevant contact details will be added to a list shared with other interested students; however, students are responsible for communicating with potential roommates, reserving the room, and managing payment.
SCHEDULE
Schedule To Be Updated
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 11:00-11:20am CST | Brief Welcome Remarks |
| 11:20am-12:15pm CST | POD Meeting |
| 12:15-1:15pm CST | Critical Conversations on Personal Identity in Education Abroad |
| 1:15-1:30pm CST | Break |
| 1:35-2:35pm CST | Personal Identity Concurrent Sessions
Identity, Social Change, and Peacebuilding
Through international education, students become more effective communicators, more engaged citizens and learn to think critically about the relationships between local and global issues. These skills are vital in building peace and advocating for social change in a world of conflict. Through this session, students will gain a deeper understanding of the role of identity in socialization and its importance in achieving social change, justice, and equity. Presenter: Cheyenne Boyce, Director of Program Development, Confucius Institute U.S. Center
Deepening Empathy with Critical Reflection
During this session students will be given tools to critically reflect on their social and professional identities and the impact of changing contexts on those identities. This reflection will encourage students to become more aware of shared and diverse personal and cultural expression, which serves to deepen empathy and build community. With these tools, students will be encouraged to consider ways to integrate global experience into professional identity and visibility. Presenter: Larree Strickland
Time to Unpack: Reflecting on Social, Personal & Perceived Identities Abroad
Did the social and personal identities you consider to be the strongest here in the US end up being the strongest while you were abroad? Were certain elements of your identity brought to the forefront during your global experience? In this session, you will explore the various components that make up your unique identity and how your experience abroad impacted your personal growth. Presenter: Ruby Shields |
| 2:35-3:00pm CST | Break & Optional Open Networking |
| 3:05-4:05pm CST | Critical Conversations on Leadership Identity in Education Abroad |
| 4:05-4:15pm CST | Break |
| 4:20-5:20pm CST | Leadership Identity Concurrent Sessions
Change, ExChange, or Drain: #LeadershipStylesMatter
Have you ever analyzed your leadership skills? Do you know how to properly identify your leadership style? Leadership styles and behaviors are paramount in any organization or institution. Transformative leaders invoke change in their followers and transform them into leaders. Transactional leaders exchange instruction for production and create strong followers. In this session you will discover why knowing your leadership style and behavior is a key ingredient to systematic growth in any organization. Presenter: Demestress Williams, English Professor/Educational Consultant, Benedict College
The Blueprint for a Successful Career
Is the perception of your personal brand consistent with its intended portrayal? During this interactive session, the presenter will guide participants through the ABCs of professional presence. This session will provide an overview of emotional intelligence and provide practical strategies as well as a blueprint to better understand how your appearance, behaviors, and communication reflect your personal brand. Presenter: Will Baggett, Emergent Executives |
| 5:25-5:45pm CST | Closing POD |
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 11:00-11:15am CST | Welcome & Overview of the day |
| 11:15-11:30am CST | Opening POD Meeting |
| 11:30am-12:15pm CST | Featured Speaker: Chat & Chew |
| 12:15-12:25pm CST | Break |
| 12:30-1:30pm CST | Career Concurrent Sessions
Maximizing Your Skillset: Elevator Pitches, Interviews, and Leveling Up
During this session the goal is for participants to define their international experience outcomes within a career advancement context. Presenters will provide a space for students to craft an international experience elevator pitch and identify skills they earned or strengthened during their time abroad in order to develop their global brand, as well as practice networking/interviewing/resume writing where international Presenter: Angela Manginelli, AIFS Abroad
Mapping an Internationally Focused Career: What it Looks Like and How to Get There
You went abroad and now you want to make sure your career path has an international slant. What can an internationally focused career look like for your major? What programs exist to grant exposure to working internationally? A representative from Howard University’s Diplomatic Fellowships will lead participants in a dynamic session on how to leverage the study abroad/international experience into other exciting international opportunities and careers. This session will help GSLS participants understand the wide range of career paths in international affairs, learn about funded volunteer and internship opportunities, and gain expert advice on how to set yourself up for success for a career in the international affairs sector. Presenter: Lily Lopez-McGee, Director, Pickering Fellowship Program |
| 1:35-1:55pm CST | POD Meeting |
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 12:00-12:30pm CST | Opening POD Meeting |
| 12:45-2:15pm CST | GSLS Career Event: Exploring Future Oppotunities: Global Industry Tables |
| 2:15-3:15pm CST | Continued Connections (Optional Networking) or Self-care Break |
| 3:15-3:45pm CST | Paying it Forward: Making an Impact on Your Campus and Beyond |
| 3:45-4:25pm CST | POD Meeting: Conference Reflections: Major Takeaways and Action Plan |
| 4:25-4:45pm CST | Collective Group Closing |
Keynote Speaker
REGISTERING A STUDENT
Universities and study abroad program providers are encouraged to register promising students to attend the Global Student Leadership Summit. Nominating organizations are responsible for the registration fees of their nominated students, and are encouraged to confirm the student’s ability to participate prior to completing the online form.
Students can now nominate themselves for the Summit and 2023 graduates are eligible to participate.
To register a student, please complete the online registration form linked below. By submitting a registration for a student to the GSLS, you are committing to receiving updates from Diversity Abroad Conference organizers. Please provide your own contact information during the registration process.
Please reference the required registration materials — including an essay — prior to submitting the form. NOTE: Student nominations act as conference registrations & will be automatically approved. Please only register students confirmed to attend the Global Student Leadership Summit.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The 7th annual Global Student Leadership Summit (GSLS) invites speakers and presenters to facilitate GSLS workshops and panels. Presenters should demonstrate experience presenting and facilitating on the topics for which they would like to be considered. The GSLS curriculum is directed by Diversity Abroad and the GSLS planning committee to support the growth of our student participants’ identity and leadership development and help them to process their global experience in order to leverage it for their career readiness.
Proposal Information
Target Audience
All program proposals submitted for the Global Student Leadership Summit (GSLS) should be designed for a student audience. Our participants are high achieving and enjoy being challenged. They want to go deep and walk away with tangible skills, action items, or resources to support their on-going learning.
Sessions should focus on Personal Identity, Leadership Identity, or Career Readiness. Global education should be the lens in which all sessions are designed and we ask our students to speak from and engage in all of these conversations with their identities in mind.
Presenter Information
In implementing a Call for Proposals for the 6th Annual GSLS we want to provide the opportunity for professionals who can support our participants growth, personally and professional and help them process how their global experience can support that growth. We are looking for presenters who want to actively engage with student leaders and aid in supporting the next generation in their journeys.
Session Formats
CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS ON PERSONAL IDENTITY
The critical conversations series begins with a group wide foundations session before breaking off into smaller groups to engage in a skill-building session or dialogue around one aspect of personal identity. Sessions should have a minimum of two presenters and are 90 minutes long. Please take into consideration the benefit of having diverse perspectives amongst your facilitators in order to support the many identities participating in this activity.
CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS ON LEADERSHIP IDENTITY
The critical conversations series begins with a group wide foundations session before breaking off into smaller groups to engage in a skill-building session or dialogue around one aspect of leadership identity. Sessions should have a minimum of two presenters and are 90 minutes long. Please take into consideration the benefit of having diverse perspectives amongst your facilitators in order to support the many identities participating in this activity.
CONCURRENT WORKSHOP (IDENTITY, LEADERSHIP, CAREER READINESS)
A concurrent workshop allows time for students to dig deeper into one aspect of identity, leadership, or career readiness through hands-on activities and discussions. Workshops are 60 minutes and should be interactive and go beyond the basics. Submission should have a chair and no more than two presenters (one presenter is acceptable).
Please note the same guidelines and timeline noted above apply for the Global Student Leadership Summit. Presenter submissions will be accepted through June 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time.
Preparing to Arrive at GSLS - Welcome Webinar
Global Student Leadership Summit: How to Get Nominated
SPONSORS
