2024 Workshops and Speakers

Conflict is inevitable in life. And I would argue that conflict is essential in building relationship/community. Not only do we see that in our own lives today, but the Bible is full of conflict. Some handled well and others not so well. I believe that when we look at conflict in Scripture, we see a posture of curiosity and kindness (note the difference between being nice and being kind). As Christian Leaders when we learn to approach conflict with a Biblical foundation, we will learn to see conflict as a means of connection, refinement, and an opportunity to point others to Christ.

Jesus was the ultimate leader and modeled servant leadership throughout scripture. This is not a new concept but is one that has become increasingly countercultural. In a world that encourages us to put ourselves first, God calls us to something different. This is especially important for Christian Student Leaders. As you "live last" you will see that you are ultimately building up those around you, speaking life into them and your influence increases. Increasing influence is not the goal but it is a byproduct of living a life that sees others and is consistently asking "how can I help?" 

Imposter syndrome is a pervasive mindset that, when left unchecked, can devastate personal leadership and team culture. Unfortunately, nobody is immune—even the most accomplished leaders can struggle with it. Reflecting on Jesus' desire for all people to live authentic, joyful, and peace-filled lives, how can we confront imposter syndrome and emerge stronger, leading a life of flourishing? This workshop will explore how imposter syndrome infiltrates our lives and provide strategies to overcome it, allowing us to experience true joy in our leadership.

Building relationship in a multicultural environment can be both challenging and enriching, offering opportunities for growth and understanding, especially in leadership position. This workshop explores a structured approach to effective relationship-building in multicultural environment using the CASH framework. The CASH framework was formed by the presenter as a way to train student leaders at Trinity Western University on how to best engage and create a healthy community with international students in their area. CASH stands for: Curiosity without agenda, Acknowledgement of differences, Sensitivity to culture, and Humility to learn. Participants will learn practical strategies to foster curiosity about diverse perspectives, acknowledge cultural differences in and not lead to blind acceptance, enhance sensitivity to cultural backgrounds, and cultivate humility for continuous growth. Thus, this workshop aims to equip Christian student leaders with essential tools to engage thoughtfully and compassionately as they lead in multicultural environment, aligning their actions with biblical principles of love, humility, and hospitality. By embracing the CASH framework within their leadership roles, participants will not only navigate diversity with grace but also inspire unity and mutual respect among their peers, reflecting Christ's call to love one another.

Lead Your Sphere is a program built on the belief that leadership is for everyone in any phase of life. The world needs leaders at every level -- at work, in school, in homes, among friends, and within ministries. 

This program is a framework that introduces students to the four leadership Habits of servant leadership - KNOW, SERVE, OWN, and LEAD. Each of these core Habits is explained in terms of three supporting Mindsets which, when applied within their life and spheres, helps build influence and lead others well. 

Success is typically described as achieving goals and striving for more in life. Today's societal emphasis on success often revolves around acquiring social status and wealth, which strongly influences the way we perceive ourselves. If we succeed, we may never feel satisfied; if we fail, that becomes our identity. Setting goals is crucial to motivate growth, yet it's essential to recognize that there is limitation of control we have within it. Our inability to identify those limitations can lead to frustration, intensified by societal norms equating anything less than success as failure. On the other side, the Bible speaks of a kind of success that brings eternal reward rather than instant. This workshop presents the framework of "Sit, Walk, Stand" based on the book of the same name by Watchman Nee and with a focus on redefining success. The aim is  to provide students in leadership roles a biblical approach on redefining success by re-evaluating goals, and taking ownership of what is in their control, and surrendering what is not at the foot of the cross. 

Leaders must make decisions, often considering more than one possible right choice – what is referred to as “ethical dilemmas.” In view of that, decision-making can become a challenging process, especially when leaders must choose the “nearest right” course of action for themselves and for the people, projects, and organizations they lead. This session aims at exploring ways to make decisions that would be life-giving to all involved in decisions we make as leaders. In doing so, we will consider how, in the light of the Christian story we live in and lead from, we may persist in doing what is right when faced with challenging situations that call for wisdom and discernment.

This workshop will challenge students to evaluate how their rhythms and habits affect their leadership development. Students will be introduced to ideas discussed in Atomic Habits by James Clear, You Are What You Love by James K. A. Smith, and The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard that will help them (1) understand the role of rhythms in God’s design for humanity, (2) identify their current rhythms of life, (3) understand how these rhythms are affecting them, and (4) develop strategies to adjust their rhythms to help them become the leaders they wish to be. 

Do you love being a student leader? Would you be interested in exploring a career that would allow you to use those leadership skills to continue developing, investing in, and mentoring college students? Come to this session to learn more about careers in higher education & student development and about Christian graduate programs that can prepare you for those careers. Come hear from graduate faculty at Christian colleges as they share on topics such as: Why pursue a master's in student development?; Why Christian higher education?; & Funding and internship opportunities available to support your graduate degree and career. 

An upperclassman leadership role should not come easily. Student leaders do not retire. When you have an ownership mindset about your university culture, you can disrupt your expectations to become a better leader who leaves a legacy after you graduate.

In this workshop, we will seek to explore the world of decision-making and why it is so important for us as Christian leaders to be mindful of the decisions that we make as well as the processes that we use to make them. Talking through types of decisions as well as going through a Biblical decision making model, student leaders will be able to feel more confident in their decision making skills and in how to rely on God throughout the process. 

Colleges and universities are rooted in tradition, rituals, and habits that have shaped institutional culture and student life. Student leaders actively participate in the planning and execution of events and programs that have rich history in creating campus culture and belonging. As the years go on, and events move further away from their beginning, institutions and students begin to habituate events/programs without answering the questions, "Does this still work/does this still have an impact?" This session will provide students an opportunity to reflect and celebrate campus traditions/events while also challenging them to think about their current student body's needs. As student leaders, they can began to practice navigating the tension of organizational change by wrestling with institutional history and a changing future. Upon this reflection, the presentation will conclude with students identifying key stakeholders across campus (outside of student life/affairs/development) they can partner with to make sustainable changes for their present and future student bodies.

In this workshop we’ll talk about how boundary setting internally is vital for sustainable leadership. Yes, it's important that we set good boundaries with those around us and know how to guard against others taking our time, but the internal boundary setting is just as, if not more important, and is often an area we can neglect very easily. We’ll discuss what it looks like to protect and preserve the most valuable asset you bring to the world (i.e., yourself) and set yourself up for a sustainable year of ministry leadership.

In today’s complex and rapidly changing world, effective leadership requires a delicate balance of empathy and strength. Christian leaders, in particular, face unique challenges as they navigate their roles within organizations, communities, and ministries. This presentation aims to equip college students with practical skills that integrate empathy, decision-making, and Biblical principles.

Explore the transformative power of self-compassion and its crucial role in fostering resilience and emotional well-being. Participants will delve into the three core components of self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Additionally, students will learn to integrate their faith into these practices, encouraging them to lean on their faith during challenging times.

This workshop aims to provide an approach to meaningful and servant-hearted conversations, blending practical guidance with a foundation in servant leadership principles. Conversations often occur instinctively in the day-to-day life, yet intentional and purposeful dialogue can impact relationships and personal growth profoundly. This workshop will first explore the nature of servant-leadership and look at the example of Jesus as portrayed in Matthew 20:25-28. The goal of this workshop is for students to leave with practical strategies on how to apply a servant-hearted leadership model in their everyday interactions. The skill in having servant-hearted conversations will be helpful as students face challenges in recognizing how to start and sustain conversations in vulnerable situations. To achieve this goal, we will be looking at the Benner Model framework of Encounter, Engage, and Disengage. This framework offers tools to cultivate empathy, respect, authenticity, and effective communication during everyday conversation. This model hopes to equip student leaders as they navigate conversations with others through understanding others’ feelings and thoughts and learning to conclude interactions with clarity and purpose. Through this workshop, the goal is for participants to gain practical skills on how to serve others through intentional conversations and model a culture of compassionate leadership and interpersonal connections within their leadership role.

Presenter Jackie Nat will share about research-based/biblically sound strategies on resilience from Pepperdine University’s Resilience-Informed Skills Education (RISE) Program. Reflecting on resilience as it appears in scripture and their own lives, participants will be invited to “check in” on how they are doing within all six dimensions of resilience: physical, social, cognitive, spiritual, service, and lift skills. In Christian thinking, stewardship is viewed as the responsibility to take good care of the gifts we have been given. Leaders cannot pour from an empty cup, and this session will focus on pouring into our Christian Student Leaders.

Click here to access the Reslience Self Assessment that you will use throughout this workshop. You may want to consider printing this off or having a copy on a separate laptop/phone for the session.

Do you love being a student leader? Would you be interested in exploring a career that would allow you to use those leadership skills to continue developing, investing in, and mentoring college students? Come to this session to learn more about careers in higher education & student development and about Christian graduate programs that can prepare you for those careers. Come hear from graduate faculty at Christian colleges as they share on topics such as: Why pursue a master's in student development?; Why Christian higher education?; & Funding and internship opportunities available to support your graduate degree and career.