Leadership Students Attend Rider University Leadership Symposium
Written by: Mario Damasceno
The Rider Leadership symposium was a day filled with learning and networking oportunities.
Rider University’s Center for the Development of Leadership Skills hosted their second annual Leadership Symposium on Saturday, February 20th. This year’s Symposium focused on a look into the future and how the student leaders of today can be better prepared to evolve in the rapidly changing work environment. The day was filled with insightful observations, hands-on activities, and networking opportunities.
The day began with an introductory keynote speech from Robert Schimek, Executive Vice President and CEO of Commercial, overseeing AIG’s global insurance businesses. Mr. Schimek attested to the ever changing working environment, as he described his day to day functions and responsibilities. As a leader, he explained, it is important for him to remain poised and ready when something rapidly changes. Mr. Schimek then transitioned to some of his favorite leadership quotes, one of which was, “good values attract good people.”
The main presentation of the day was given by Seton Hall’s very own Dr. John Shannon. Dr. Shannon’s presentation, entitled, “What does the Future Hold?” introduced the students to six very specific future trends. During the presentation, companies like Uber and AirBnB were mentioned, and Dr. Shannon provided his insight into how these companies have set into motion a new age of disruption. After the introduction of these trends, Dr. Shannon provided his very own solutions on how student leaders of today can embrace these changes. He finally concluded with a simple piece of advice, “It’s time to simplify, time to innovate, and time to leverage the digital economy.”
The final event of the day was the Case Study Competition. The students were split into 7 teams, and were prompted by Dr. Shannon to come up with solutions to how the students themselves could apply his solutions for the future trends. After 75 minutes of collaboration, the Case Study Competition began, each group taking a seemingly different approach to the prompt. One team used a Bluetooth video game using iPhones and Androids to take a survey. And another team used a video to introduce Artificial Intelligence.
The students, which represented 5 different New Jersey Universities, left the Symposium more informed about what the future will entail. They had the opportunity to meet new people, discuss their thoughts and interests, and establish a broader network of individuals. The Symposium was truly a great experience, and the learning that came from it is something I will not forget.
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