The Wichitan - Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls Texas

MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY | February 11, 2004

NEWS

J.O.L.T. conference teaches students leadership skills
Kristin L. Woods | Staff Reporter

While many people were lying in the comforts of their cozy beds Saturday morning, over 100 MSU students were attending the 5 th annual J.O.L.T. leadership Conference held at MSU.
J.O.L.T., which stands for “Join Our Leadership Team,” is a conference designed to help offer quality leadership and issue related education to students who participate in various organizations on campus.
Presenters for J.O.L.T. spoke about everything from dealing with difficult people to helping motivate leaders through scholarship programs and the practice of obtaining good grades.
“J.O.L.T. is good because it can refocus students on what they should be doing in their organizations. They also get to talk and interact with members of other organizations on campus, therefore feeding off each other for new ideas,” organizer and presenter Jason Biggs said.
The keynote speaker for the conference was Dr. Jim Lundy who is the director of the Center for Management and Leadership Development at MSU.
He said that an effective leader should remember to treat everyone the same and realize that everyone in your organization or place of business is important in helping things to run.
“Dr. Lundy made me realize that we should remember to reward people for the good they do and not always focus on the bad in situations,” junior, Meredith Heath said.
Many students who participated in Saturday's conference have been attending every year of their college career.
Senior Alexandra Torres said that she has gone to the JOLT conference all four years she has been at Midwestern, and each year she learns something new.
“Leadership is a skill that can be learned, through education and implementing new ideas and plans for your organization. Each year I take away so much from the J.O.L.T. conference that I can use in my many organizations on campus,” she said.
The Office of Student Development sponsors the conference every year and can answer student's questions on where and how to get involved in campus organizations and become effective leaders on the MSU campus.
If any students are interested in learning more about organizations they can stop by the office located in room 194 of the Clark Student Center.

NASA speaker shines
Matt Terrell | Editor in chief

Winston Scott has a stellar view on life.
The former NASA astronaut and space shuttle mission specialist will offer insight into the world of space travel as part of the Artist Lecture Series on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Akin Auditorium.
Scott's work in space is regarded as a case study in leadership and communication. The audience will be able to see this in person through a display of breathtaking video footage from space missions.
He draws from his experiences at NASA to offer a unique perspective into multinational team building and the pillars of leadership.
Scott was chosen months in advance by the Artist Lecture Committee and has a price tag of $ 7,500.
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Keith Lamb said Scott was chosen because of his outstanding character.
“He has risen to a level not many people rise to, regardless of their background,” Lamb said.
Scott grew up in a largely segregated school system and had little access to proper resources, but his determination led him to a career in the Navy and a place on the Columbia space shuttle.
“This is the one year anniversary of the Columbia tragedy, and that was interesting to the committee,” Lamb said.
The space footage shown in his lectures is not what is seen on the news, Lamb said. “This is from an astronaut's perspective.”