Saturday, Sept. 17, at least two students from every organization on campus came together for the Student Organization Leadership Conference (SOLC). The conference was held in Burney Center and in the Fisher University Center.

The SOLC is a requirement for re-registration in order for organizations on campus to be recognized by the Campus Activities & Involvement Center (CAIC). This conference is one of three steps in the process of re-registration. Other steps include updating the constitution and new members and attending other workshops throughout the year.

Jon Kapell, Associate Director of CAIC, organized the conference this year. He hopes that the SOLC will “improve student leader skills and educational opportunities,” he said. With many different organizations presenting, there were a number of diverse topics for student leaders to learn about.

“The topics range from program planning to running a meeting to diversity issues,” said Kapell.

The workshops are not just for student leaders but are also presented by student leaders. Vickilyn Gill, a junior and a CARE peer educator, presented iCARE to students on Saturday. iCARE is a program designed to teach students how to help a friend who is in an abusive relationship or has experienced sexual assault.

Gill hoped that student leaders attending her presentation “learned something new and [felt] empowered to help a friend,” she said.

According to Kapell, having students present to students is important. Student leaders do not only get the opportunity to learn, but also to educate.

“I think presenting as a peer can be helpful to students because there is common ground. You have gone through situations that are similar, so you can package the information through the lens of a shared experience,” said Gill.

Gill, who is also a resident assistant in the Seahawk Landing, described presenting to her peers as a “very unique experience.”

As an attendee of the SOLC, Adam Roszkowski, a senior representing One in Four, said “the peer to peer presentations were helpful because they allowed students to interact, learn real ways to make a positive impact on their organizations, and gave innovative examples to do so.”

“I think the SOLC is essential to building students leaders and giving students the tools to make their organizations thrive,” said Roszkowski.

The SOLC was held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with lunch provided for all attendees. During lunch, keynote speaker Larry Wray spoke about leadership through change, the theme of this year’s conference. Wray can relate to the topic, as he has just transitioned from Associate Director of Housing to the Director of Campus Life.

At the end of the SOLC, Kapell hoped that all of the students “walked out feeling more educated,” he said.