Students representing Wake Forest University and the Allegacy Center for Leadership and Character spoke recently about their attendance at the US Naval Academy’s 2014 Leadership Conference.
Junior biology major, Alexa Cienski, and John Miller, a senior BEM major, attended the conference whose theme was “Followership: The Evolution of a Leader” held in Annapolis January 26-29, 2014, and were among more than 65 academic institutions represented.
When asked how he benefited from attending this conference, John said, “50% of the conference was simply interacting with other delegates — I can honestly say that I look forward to maintaining the relationships I’ve made with future leaders of our country””. He further indicated he gained insights that “all leaders are simultaneously followers — the most revered CEO has a responsibility as a fiduciary to his or her shareholders, while even the most industrious
USNA Leadership Conference
entrepreneur must follow the needs and desires of his or her customers. The leader who refuses to follow will surely perish.”
Alexa also offered feedback regarding her experience at the conference: “The variety of speakers offered diverse examples of leadership in the professional field, whereas my small group interactions exposed me to students from around the country, providing me with a diversity of perspectives and applicable ideas. I expect to maintain the valuable connections I made with other students for years to come, as we head down various professional pursuits. The insight I gleaned from this conference on the cyclical nature of leadership and ‘followership’ will be directly applied to my field of study and to my everyday life.”