Press Release

Student Leadership Summit at Oglethorpe University

ATLANTA – Oglethorpe University’s Center for Civic Engagement and the Rich Foundation Urban Leadership Program host the Student Leadership Summit 2007 on Saturday, September 29, from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Conant Performing Arts Center. The event is a student-driven leadership summit organized to empower and inspire students to enhance leadership and civic involvement.

This event will consist of notable speakers from the fields of business, politics and non-profits as well as sessions designed to better equip student leaders. Speakers include Joselyn Butler Baker '91, director of communications for MARTA, Samuel T. Jackson, founder of Economic Empowerment Initiative, Inc., Jay Greeves, senior sales director for Lifestyle Realtors, and Carletta Hurt '98, president of In the Loop of Success Program and Director of Leaders of Tomorrow at the National Black MBA Association.

The day-long summit will expose attendees to the various experiences of leaders in the professional world as well as the experiences of current student leaders from different Atlanta colleges and universities. Community activists include Isaac Silver representing Georgia State University and Atlanta Solidarity, Christina Repoely with The American Friends Service Committee, McNair Wagner representing Georgia Southern University, Helen Cox representing Agnes Scott College and Seth Green, founder of Americans for Informed Democracy.

Attendees will be inspired by the courage and counsel from leaders throughout Atlanta. Free and open to the public. Lunch is available for $8. Please contact 404.504.1977 for more information.

Oglethorpe’s Center for Civic Engagement is a new initiative to integrate classroom learning with experiences throughout Atlanta, supporting the community while strengthening the university’s academic offerings. The center coordinates Oglethorpe's initiatives to support faculty and students as they integrate classroom learning with community experiences through service-learning, internships, partnerships with non-profit organizations and meetings with some of the city’s most influential leaders.

Summit co-sponsor Rich Foundation Urban Leadership Program challenges students to develop their leadership abilities by addressing actual community problems. Through a balance of academic courses, workshops and various on- and off-campus experiences, the program prepares graduates to meet the challenges of responsible citizenship in local, national and international communities.