Do you have what it takes to be a leader? At the IMPACT LMC Leadership Retreat, students learned what true leadership is. Students also discovered leadership qualities in themselves they may not have noticed elsewhere.

The retreat opened with LMCAS students sharing some of their stories and why they wanted to become a leader. LMCAS President Brianna Klipp shared an inspiring story on why she decided to get involved in her campus community and how she made close friends on campus. Following the introduction was a fun ice-breaker activity known as “would you rather?” where students answered by moving to one side of the room. The questions got students interacting with others they normally would not have based on their shared interests.

A majority of the students who attended the retreat did so to represent their club and to learn how to be effective leaders for their members. The room was diverse with many different clubs attending which helped students see things through different perspectives. The retreat emphasized how important teamwork is. In one activity, students had to work together to answer questions such as how they lead, why they want to lead and what skills leaders have.

The retreat had three workshops to choose from. The first workshop, “Event Planning 101: The Basics and Beyond,” was presented by Interim Student Life Coordinator Jamila Stewart. Stewart offered students guidance on how to plan events for their club and how to work together as a team to accomplish the event. Transfer Center Coordinator Tara Dale Sanders led the second workshop, titled “Leadership Professionalism.” Sanders explained what professionalism is and how students can also practice being professional on campus. Student Life Coordinator Demetria Lawrence led the third workshop, “Diversity Leadership Colors,” where she talked about different thinking styles and the strengths and weaknesses of each style.

At the end of the day people were talking about how this year’s retreat was the best they’ve attended.  Students came to the retreat looking to learn more about leadership and left excited to make a difference on campus.

Lauren D. was surprised that an event on leadership could be this fun, stating, “When I came here I wasn’t expecting to have fun but I did and I actually learned a lot that I can apply to my daily life. I’m really glad I came the seminars and workshops taught me skills I can apply on a professional level and my academic level.”

Miguel Reyes enjoyed the retreat so much that he wants to use his new leadership knowledge to help his club, “I loved it, I really did. I felt like I was right where I needed to be and it gave me a perspective on how I can reach out with my own club and how to help promote the club. I even met people I didn’t know before who are interested in my club.”

The IMPACT LMC Leadership Retreat has inspired many students to make a positive impact on campus. Students learned different leadership and thinking styles, how to coordinate an event, how to practice being professional and what good leadership is about. Students who attended the retreat seemed excited to talk to their club about what they learned. Los Medanos College is a school with many opportunities to learn and have fun while doing it. The leadership retreat was a perfect example of how LMC encourages students to make a difference and succeed.