Three SPC students joined over 150 students from Florida state colleges and universities at the 12th annual Florida International Leadership Conference held February 2 to February 4 at Camp Winona, DeLeon Springs, Florida.
Goals of the Conference included:
- Enhancing leadership skills
- Promoting friendships and networks among international and study abroad students
- Acknowledging and rewarding student leaders who work at promoting international understanding on campus
- Challenging students to see themselves as global leaders
- To recognize the differing styles of leadership across cultures
In the words of Cristian Jacome from Ecuador:
“The first thing that comes to my mind when thinking about the FILC conference is “I would do this over-and-over again”. My name is Cristian, I am from Ecuador and I attended the 2018 FILC. My experience in this journey is unforgettable and remarkable. Being able to connect with people from all over the world is not only an entertaining activity but a privilege as well. During this experience, the phrase: “you will make many friends” really means its connotation and significance. Besides from just making lots of valuable college connections, group work and leadership skills are really developed and strengthened due to activities and social events in the facilities. This conference did not only teach me how to be a better leader, but also to value how rich each culture is and understand the power of unity in a multicultural society. This conference is not about a formal academic subject, it is about opening your mind to appreciate the value that every human being brings to Earth without the importance of ‘race’ or ‘culture’.”
In the words of Pavlo Grytsenko from Ukraine:
To begin with, I had low expectations of FILC. I am an introverted person and so it is usually hard for me to make connections. I was truly amazed how the whole trip came out to be. It really came out to be a phenomena how easy it was to make connections with all those wonderful people attending the conference in the camp. Something inside me clicked, and so I just went there and had a great time meeting and interacting with other international students from universities from all over Florida. I would like to thank SPC for organizing such trips
In the words of Ronelia Bailey from Trinidad and Tobago:
I truly enjoyed my experience at the 2018 Florida International Leadership Conference at Camp Winona in De Leon Spring, Florida. I had the opportunity to network, and collaborate with student leaders from all around the world. The breakout sessions were very informative and thought provoking. I was inspired by the keynote speaker Dr. Joannie Bewa from Benin, Africa. My favorite quote from her speech is, “challenges define who you are, it does not diminish you but builds character.” Dr. Bewa’s speech encouraged me to be the best leader that I could be and to be intentional with my actions. Building lasting relationships with students from other schools and countries was my favorite part of the conference, (the food was pretty good too). I corresponded and even met with some of the students I met at the conference. I met fellow students from Hillsborough Community College the next weekend at the Florida Collegiate Honors Council Research Conference in Fort Myers. The opportunity to participate in FILC 2018 has been truly invaluable and I will encourage fellow students to participate in the future.
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