'Constitution of Self' theme of third annual conference

From comedians to speakers, almost 200 students laughed, learned and mingled Friday at the third annual Black Leadership Conference, an event designed to diversify the lives of not only ISU students, but also of students from surrounding areas.

"The conference was a meeting of students from various Indiana schools who came together to learn how to better themselves through inspirational speakers and development workshops," said Whitley Chilton, a freshman marketing major.

The theme of the 2008 conference was "'Constitution of Self." The cost to attend the conference was fifty dollars, which included keynote speaker Boyce Watkins, two meals, a comedy show and conference T-shirts.

The BLC kicked off Friday evening with opening ceremonies by Watkins, who spoke about Change the Game or Play the Game, It Depends on How You Roll, and was followed by comedian Steve Brown.

"I enjoyed the keynote (speaker) Dr. Boyce Watkins from Syracuse University," said Dianna Thompson, a senior communication studies major from Indianapolis who served on the conference committee.

Brown received his bachelor's degree in broadcast communication and travels around the United States as a professional comedian. His next appearance is Feb. 7 in Memphis, Tenn., according to his Web site.

"The most memorable part for me was the introductory dinner," said Stephanie Truly, a junior public relations major. "The speaker was very personable and kept it very real. His words were meant to inspire us to be the next MLKs [Martin Luthor King Jr.] for our generation. Very inspiring and uplifting."

According to Watkins' Web site, Watkins, otherwise known as "The People's Scholar," is one of the leading black speakers and freedom fighters in America. He advocates education, economic empowerment and social justice and has reformed what it means to be a black scholar and leader in America.

"The conference is a major impact for the university because it has created a foundation of positive networks," Thompson said. "The community is getting involved; we have students from other universities about to see the things that ISU has to offer and it uplifts the student body."

Saturday, various workshops were available for students to attend, including workshops on politics in education, politics in the workforce and politics in community.

"It was worth attending because we were able to gain more knowledge about politics," Thompson said. "It helps to put things in perspective for me once I graduate. I will be able to identify when and how politics come in to play through my experience and how I can make the most of the situation."

The workshop by Linda Bingham included marketable skills, employment trends, networking and hot jobs, and Cathy McGregor Foster, associate director of the Career Center, discussed career and job fairs as great networking opportunities for future employees.

"The BLC is important because it enables students to learn vital skills for their futures, and it provides networking opportunities with other students, staff and career professionals."

Last year, the BLC featured comedian Benji Brown and conferences about navigating educational success, business edge and professional growth and Carolene R. Mays, the then publisher of the nation's fourth oldest-surviving African-American newspaper.

According to Thompson, the conference centered around the philosophy of positivity and inspiration for the attending guests. "The conference is important because it helps to bring the students together to support a positive event," Thompson said. "It's about empowering people. With all the negative issues surrounding our world the conference gives the participants a chance to realize that negativity does exist, but there are also ways to combat them by staying positive, being made aware of the issues and seeking to change the outcome into one that would be positive and beneficial to all of humanity."

For Truly, the conference provided an opportunity not only for self-development, but also for her to improve her community as well.

"This is an opportunity provided to our students that is unique," Truly said. "There was a group of students that saw the need and had the passion for this and they went out and tried to provide us with this. They inspire me with their passion. Also the speakers that they bring in are aimed at uplifting the black community. They let me know that it is good for me to be in college getting my degree, but I also need to think about how I will help my community when I graduate."