2026 Annual Leadership Conference
Young Leaders in a Changing World
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Location: Seymour Union
Time: 9 am - 3:30 pm
Meet our Keynote Speakers
Jerrard Brown will be joined by Ni’ziah Edmond to deliver the keynote, Beyond Service: Building Young Leaders for Systematic Change.
Workshop Session One
Room: 220 - Led by Teen Empowerment youth organizers, this interactive session introduces participants to a youth-led organizing model that centers those most impacted by injustice and equips young people to create lasting community change. Participants will examine the difference between service and systemic change, learn how personal experiences connect to structural conditions, and practice tools used by Teen Empowerment to move from individual concern to collective action.
Leadership Storytelling: Communicating Who You Are & What You Believe
Room : B116 - Storytelling is an effective tool used by leaders to advocate, teach, inspire, and communicate values. In this interactive session, participants will learn about the variety of contexts in which leaders can use stories, highlight the characteristics of stories that make them “stick,” and begin the process of developing their own leadership story.
Decoding Classical Power: 19th Century Black Leadership & Contemporary Responses
Room: JJIC/228 - This workshop uses the 19th-century educational leadership of William Sanders Scarborough and Anna Julia Cooper to show how Black scholars strategically navigated and reshaped oppressive academic systems—particularly in the Classics—offering contemporary students frameworks for creating social change within, alongside, or beyond existing power structures.
Global Eagles: Stories of the Study Abroad & International Student Experience
Room: 119 - This workshop will explore the lived experiences of study abroad and international students. Speakers will dive into the successes, challenges, and career readiness that their international experiences provided them. Attendees will participate in an activity to explore how storytelling can inspire and cultivate new pathways to international opportunities.
Room: 222 - This workshop will explore the increased political polarization in the United States and the damage which it causes to all of us. Across the political spectrum, we all have a responsibility to work together to reduce this division. By sharing their experiences and discussing the issue, participants will be able to better understand what they can do as leaders to avoid and reduce this extreme division
Room: 228 - Drawing from the facilitator’s personal experience as an interfaith leader, this interactive session delves into the questions and guiding principles of interfaith leadership.
Marketing for Groups: Stand Out together- with Brockport Brand Builders
Room: Gallery/123 - What makes a student organization stand out and leave a lasting impression? Join Brockport Brand Builders for an interactive workshop to explore how groups define who they are, share their purpose, and connect with others. Walk away with practical tools to present your team with clarity, confidence, and impact. Presenters: Tiffany Judge, Paige Elliott, Vera Stolzenberg
Room: 209 - Effective leadership begins with understanding how the mind shapes perception, decision-making, and relationships. This experiential session explores the neuroscience of negativity bias—the brain’s natural tendency to focus on threat—and examines how this survival mechanism can unintentionally limit collaboration and social change efforts today.
Plenary Panel: Intergenerational Leadership
Saabirah Campo is a healthcare and higher education leader committed to advancing equity-centered systems through compassionate, relationship-driven leadership. She serves as a Faculty Affairs Administrator II at Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center, where she leads faculty recruitment, onboarding, and development and advises senior leadership on faculty policy and strategy. She is the co-architect of the nationally recognized Hair Equity Program, the first initiative of its kind to address hair care inequities in healthcare, and her work has received regional and national recognition.
David Buyan has been involved in student leadership since middle school, consistently focusing on representation and access. In high school, he served as a student representative to the Rochester City School District Board of Education, where he brought forward student concerns, participated in district discussions, and contributed to conversations about equity and resource allocation.
Searnie Knight is a content creator based in Rochester, New York. She creates content that highlights the people, places, and experiences that make Rochester and Upstate New York special. Her work focuses on showing what’s happening in the community, from local businesses and events to programs and resources that people may not always know about.
Panelist: Antwan Williams
Antwan Williams is the Director of Youth System Services at RochesterWorks, bringing more than 20 years of experience advancing equitable workforce pathways for young people across Monroe County. He oversees youth employment and career development initiatives that connect thousands of young people each year to meaningful work experiences, supportive services, and long-term career opportunities. His leadership is grounded in a deep understanding of systems, partnerships, and policy that improve outcomes for youth and families.
Panelist: Robert Ricks
Robert Ricks is a playwright, author, and youth arts advocate with over 25 years of experience empowering young people through creative expression. He has collaborated with schools and community organizations across Rochester to teach theater, writing, and performance, and is the founder of Mentors Inspiring Boys & Girls (M.I.B&G). Ricks has authored and co-directed multiple stage productions and published two novels, earning numerous awards for his commitment to youth development and community advocacy.Workshop Session Two
Alternative Breaks Student Leadership Model: Benefits & Challenges
Room: 119 - Join us for a panel featuring student leaders from SUNY Brockport, RIT, and Nazareth University as they share what it’s like to participate in and lead Alternative Break (AB) experiences at their campuses. Panelists will discuss the benefits and challenges of the AB student leadership model, how short‑term service shapes their understanding of today’s social issues, and why they recommend these meaningful opportunities to others. Come learn how your peers are using AB to develop their skills, navigate real‑world challenges, and inspire collaborative community impact!In this interactive workshop, Searnie the Content Creator shares her real-life journey into content creation, breaks down best practices, and shows how to create engaging content with intention. Students will get a hands-on look at the equipment she uses, try it out themselves, and jump into creating content in real time. The session wraps with open Q&A, collaboration, and practical tips students can use immediately
Room: Gallery/123 - Learn practical skills to tell your story, share your values, and make your mark on the world. In this workshop we will learn how to speak in public in an authentic way. We will discuss overcoming stage fright, and how to properly prepare so that you feel confident when talking in front of any size group.
Room: 228 - This interactive storytelling workshop asks participants to reflect on their own entry points into leadership as a foundation for exploring different models and perceptions of what and who a leader is.
Room: B116 - This engaging workshop empowers young leaders to harness innovation and creativity to drive meaningful social change. Grounded in the Creative Problem-Solving (CPS) model, participants will explore real-world community challenges, learn how leaders use creative thinking to spark transformation, and collaborate to generate actionable, innovative solutions. Through hands-on activities and guided reflection, students will deepen their understanding of the Creative Problem-Solving process and build the skills needed to design and lead innovative solutions that create lasting positive change in their communities.
Room: JJIC/223 - This interactive workshop helps students recognize leadership as a values-driven, collaborative practice shaped by everyday experiences, guiding them to identify their strengths and lead authentically in their communities, online, and beyond—without needing a formal title.
Mentoring Relationships 101: What is Mentorship & What is the Benefit?
Room: 222 - This workshop will discuss and put into practice key aspects of identifying, utilizing, setting expectations, and the benefits of have mentors. The term mentor comes from Homer’s Odyssey; Mentor was the tutor to Odysseus’s son, Telemachus. In a real sense, mentors are tutors. Perhaps more appropriately, they are coaches. You will learn about variations in mentor styles, e.g., directive, instructive, and coaching, and the characteristics of each. This session will also discuss how to choose a mentor, and there will be hands on learning about coaching and the benefits of a mentor with a coaching style.Conference Schedule
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 9 - 9:45 am | Conference Registration and Breakfast |
| 9:45 - 10:50 am | Opening Plenary & Keynote |
| 11 am - 12:10 pm | Workshop I |
| 12:15 - 12:45 pm | Lunch |
| 12:45 - 1:30 pm | Plenary Panel |
| 1:40 - 2:50 pm | Workshop II |
| 3 - 3:30 pm | Closing Plenary & Closing |
| 4 - 5 pm | ODK SUNY Brockport Leadership Honors Society Initiation |
Student Leaders
These students have helped to organize this year’s Student Leadership Conference.
About the conference
The Annual Student Leadership Conference is seeking volunteers on the day of the conference to help welcome presenters, students, and community members across the state and support the conference.
A key feature of the Leadership Development Program (LDP), the Annual Student Leadership Conference provides attendees with the opportunity to further develop their leadership skills. Conference attendees will be able to attend a variety of workshops, lectures, and panels hosted by a multitude of on-campus and off-campus presenters that will examine leadership concepts in innovative and engaging ways.
All students faculty/staff, alumni, and interested community members are welcome to attend. Students enrolled in the Leadership Development Program (LDP) are required to attend. The theme for this year’s conference is Young Leaders in a Changing World.
Thank you to our sponsors
- Brockport Student Government
- Division of Student Affairs
- Student Union Leadership & Activities
- Leadership Development Program
- Civic Engagement
- Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion
- Academic Success Center
- Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
- Residential Life and Learning Communities
- University Communications
- Journalism and Social Media Department