Inspiration to IMPACT Conference 2024

Keira Bala

Staff Writer

On Friday, September 29, the Inspiration to IMPACT Conference took place at Seton Hall University’s University Center to provide a professional development opportunity for student leaders. Hosted by the Office of Student Engagement, these sessions were a place to hear from Seton Hall staff and fellow peers to help all in the audience grow in skills and competencies. 

IMPACT is a unique conference where students participate in a day-long conference experience that showcases several diverse speakers that share their stories on leadership to inspire attendees to act. The session topics ranged from Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to Public Speaking. Students were divided into fifty-minute Education Sessions to engage into curated Ted-Talk style conversations with community leaders. This year’s conference was meant to inspire action among students and encourage them to think critically about how they will seek to be servant leaders and global citizens. 

I had the privilege of speaking with Katherine Fainer, the Director of Undergraduate Admissions for Seton Hall University, about public speaking exercises for individuals to utilize academically and professionally. She explained that connecting with one’s audience is crucial to ensuring that people are listening and attentive, and Fainer had all my attention as I was the only attendee in her session. She also emphasized that if there is a microphone available to speak into, always use it to avoid yelling at your audience. Lastly, she highlighted that when answering questions, we should not use a qualifying statement such as, “That’s a great question,” as to not discourage other participants from asking their question if they feel it is not as important. Instead, we should use, “Thank you for your question,” hopefully encouraging all questions. 

The keynote speaker, Jamie Pukl-Werbel presented an entertaining and informative speech about utilizing one’s undergraduate years. Pukl-Werbel received her juris doctorate from Seton Hall University’s School of Law and is now the Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs and Assistant Dean of Experiential Education at Seton Hall University’s Newark campus. Her presence was powerful and grabbed the room’s attention almost immediately.

Pukl-Werbel asked the room what we knew about college and how we can make the most of our four undergraduate years. To add to our knowledges, she shared that she had asked her closest colleagues and friends both from school and her professional life what their top eight takeaways from undergrad were. 

Here are my top three: students should treat college like a job, one that requires 100 percent of students’ focus. This piece of advice inspired me, because after undergraduate is finished, students face either the real world or graduate school, but there will never be another moment of opportunity like the ones students have during undergraduate studies. 

Pukl-Werbel’s second point that stood out to me was that students should develop a growth mindset. She asked the room to answer the question, “When do you feel more successful, when you execute something flawlessly over time or when you start a new skill?” I answered I feel most successful when I try something new, and I work at that thing until I am flawless at it. She pointed out to the crowd that those who chose the same as me have a growth mindset and that we are open to working on something until it is perfectly executed.

Lastly, she reminded students that professional reputations start now. It is crucial that student leaders know that what they do now can affect their futures as professionals, whether in a positive or a negative light. Professional engagements give students the experience and knowledge to take with them when applying for internships or even post-graduate jobs. Being self-aware of students’ presence on campus as leaders is a step in a positive direction for the attendees, Pukl-Werbel shared.

It is a unique opportunity for students to attend the IMPACT conference that our faculty and fellow student leaders host, as it was an impactful and informative conference for all students to participate in.