SWOSU Students Attend 2024 Student Leadership Retreat

Recently, twenty Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) students representing various departments attended the 2024 Student Leadership Retreat at the Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) on Thursday, Feb. 29. This event, sponsored by the Council on Student Affairs, the Oklahoma Student Government Association, the Student Advisory Board, and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, aimed to provide opportunities for students to grow their leadership skills.

This event welcomed nearly 300 student leaders from across the state. SWOSU students comprised the second-largest group of attendees at the retreat, demonstrating the university’s commitment to leadership development.

During the retreat, students met and engaged with peers from institutions such as Langston University, Oklahoma State University, Western Oklahoma State College, and OCCC. Though discussions and shared experiences, our students gained valuable insights into different leadership styles and approaches, further motivating them to become leaders in the SWOSU community.

The retreat provided numerous opportunities for networking and making new connections, allowing students to broaden their professional and social circles. Breakout sessions covered various topics related to leadership and personal development, such as navigating employment offers and the importance of building community.

In addition to these workshops, students had the privilege of hearing from more speakers, including Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Chancellor Allison Garrett, and participating in a legislative panel featuring members of the Oklahoma Legislature.

The following individuals from SWOSU attended the 2024 Student Leadership Retreat: Liliana Diaz – Hispanic American Leadership Organization; Hooker, OK Tejas Devanand – Southwestern International Students Association; Bengaluru, India Jill Grob – Southwestern International Students Association; Germany Deborah Ugwu – Southwestern International Students Association; Ikeja, Nigeria Jules Thompson – Southwestern International Students Association; Ponca City, OK Jarika Estes – Indigenous Student Association; Walters, OK Jessica Findley – Student Government Association; Hinton, OK Hardy Sperle – Student Government Association; Clinton, OK Tyler Riley – Student Government Association; Guthrie, OK Karly Brooks – Kappa Delta Pi; Weatherford, OK Joanna Cottle – Resident advisor; Skiatook, OK Jalen Momoh – Resident advisor; Grand Prairie, TX Ngozi Omeke – Department of Nursing; Edmond, OK Jeffery Hall – Resident advisor; Shawnee, OK Alexandra Garcia – Resident advisor; Drummond, OK Payton Travino – Resident advisor; Groom, TX Jonathan Martinez – Department of Nursing; Midwest City, OK Cameron Pigg – Department of Computer Science; Weatherford, OK Kelli Garrison – Department of Music; Sperry, OK Emma Mankin – Department of Music; Ardmore, OK Lesley Alvarado, Student Activities Coordinator Dr. Wendy Yoder, Dean of Students Dr. Adam Johnson, Vice President for Student Services During the retreat, students were encouraged to share their experiences on social media, with Cameron Pigg notably recognized for his active engagement, making the most social media posts among all attendees.

“I’m so proud of our students and campus as we brought a well-representative group of talented student leaders to this year’s retreat,” said Dr. Adam Johnson. “They really had a great time, and throughout the whole day, our students were actively engaged in the workshop sessions and really worked the room getting to know students from other campuses. There’s no doubt our students came away from the retreat being more confident in their leadership ability and will incorporate what they learned back at SWOSU.”

We look forward to seeing the impact of this experience as our students continue to lead within the SWOSU community.

For more information about SWOSU, visit www.swosu.edu.