Students gather to learn leadership skills

Some 120 people gathered to work on student development and work habits at the first Kwantlen Student Leadership Conference, held Saturday at the Surrey campus.

The day’s agenda included 15 workshops to help students stand out from the crowd, become professionals in the workplace and network with other students who are also on track to becoming leaders. 

“It’s been really good for personal growth,” said Scott Regamble, a 24-year-old Kwantlen business student. “I was really excited to hear Peter Legge speak, that’s what sold me.”

Keynote speakers were Kwantlen president David Atkinson, and motivational and business speaker Peter Legge.

“You can get anything you want, if you give other people what they want,” said Legge, during the closing speech of the day. 

Along with his speech, Legge delivered a copy of his novel The Runway of Life to everyone in the audience. The audience also received a free lunch, sponsored by the KSA, and a coffee mug.

“I am here to find opportunities within the school community,” said Melissa Gomez, a 23-year-old business student from Kwantlen. Gomez also said that she preferred the Kwantlen Leadership conference to last year’s SFU Conference, because she found it more “inviting.”

Kurt Penner, Student Life and Development coordinator and instructor, was pleased with the turnout and said the conference was really “a gift to the students.” Penner hopes to make the leadership conference an annual event.