Ignatian Leadership Conference

Saturday, April 12, 2025 | Todd Wehr Chemistry

The Ignatian Leadership Conference is a leadership development opportunity for students, funded through the Olson Family Foundation. The Institute will introduce students to and immerse them in what leadership means at Marquette through the lens of Ignatian spirituality and Catholic Jesuit values. Students will have the opportunity explore their leadership styles.

This year's conference will feature Keynote Speaker, Andrew Stith, President of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School as well as breakout sessions.  Students are also encouraged to participate in the Marquette University Community Day of Service in the morning through the Arrupe Center. Free and open to all students!

Register Here!

Registrartion: 1:00 p.m.

Welcome and Challenge Address:  1:30 p.m.

Andy Stith, President, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

Block 1: 2:00 - 2:50 p.m.

When Life Gives You Lemons: Finding Joy and Purpose through Adversity: A Panel Discussion

Presenter Kelly Albrecht, Student Case Manager

Join this energizing panel discussion on finding ways to express and share joy and purpose even when faced with adversity and challenges. Panel members will share how they have found joy and purpose when faced with difficult life circumstances and challenges.

Theme: Joy

Don't Burn Out: How To Effectively Manage Your Time and Energy

Presenter: Erik Albinson, Director - Academic Resource Center

As student leaders, it can be difficult to balance all the demands of college life. The ability to meet these demands without burning out is a skill that can be learned. This program will go beyond typical time management strategies and discuss the science behind effective time and energy management.

Theme: Joy

Joyfully Prepared: Showcasing Leadership with Jesuit Values

Presenters: Heather Whitmill, Assistant Director in Residence Life for Education and Selection; Onyeka Uzoukwu, Assistant Residence Hall Director, O’Donnell Hall

Ever wonder how to make your student leadership experience make sense in the world beyond Marquette?  And how to help a future employer see the value of your leadership experience?  In this interactive session, we’ll discuss formal and informal leadership opportunities and skills, how they relate to your future career, and how to talk about them both in a resume and in an interview.  

Theme: Joy

The Joy from Joynuary and Beyond: The Opening of the Wellness + Helfaer Recreation Building

Presenters: Spencer Topel, Peer Wellness Educator; Kennedi Hamilton, Peer Wellness Educator

Students will learn about the four units in the new building, the services they offer, utilization numbers since opening day: Campus Recreation, the Medical Clinic, Center for Student Wellness and Health Promotion, and the Counseling Center. The program will end with a wellness activity

Theme: Joy

Igniting Change: Leading with Justice and Joy

Presenter: Katja Benz, Graduate Assistant for Student Organizations

This program empowers student leaders to become catalysts for social change, rooted in Ignatian values and driven by a commitment to justice and joy. Participants will explore the core tenets of Jesuit education, understanding their role in the broader mission of serving others and working towards a more equitable world.

Theme: Justice

Block 2: 3:00 - 3:50 p.m.

When Life Gives You Lemons: Finding Joy and Purpose through Adversity: A Panel Discussion

Presenter: Kelly Albrecht, Student Case Manager

Join this energizing panel discussion on finding ways to express and share joy and purpose even when faced with adversity and challenges. Panel members will share how they have found joy and purpose when faced with difficult life circumstances and challenges.

Theme: Joy

Don't Burn Out: How To Effectively Manage Your Time and Energy

Presenter: Erik Albinson, Director - Academic Resource Center

As student leaders, it can be difficult to balance all the demands of college life. The ability to meet these demands without burning out is a skill that can be learned. This program will go beyond typical time management strategies and discuss the science behind effective time and energy management.

Theme: Joy

Ignatian Leadership and the Legacy of Fr. Pedro Arrupe

Presenter: Jess Verdejo, Director of the Arrupe Center

This program will introduce student leaders to the principles of Ignatian Leadership, inspired by the life and legacy of Fr. Arrupe. Through a combination of reflection, discussion, and praxis, student leaders will explore values as discernment, cura personalis (care for the whole person), social responsibility, and contemplation in action.

Theme: Jesuit

Clarifying Values

Presenter: Stephanie Dooge, Coordinator for Student Organizations & Campus Activities

Students will participate in activities that help them to identify their personal values and the impact they have on being your true self. Students will learn how their values connect to Ignatian values and leadership and Marquette's mission. Activities will build on each other and help students identify more specific values as the program goes as well as identify different ways of understanding what it means to have personal values.

Theme: Jesuit

College to Career: Building Professional Competencies for Your Future

Presenter: Courtney Hanson, Director, Career Center

In this interactive session, students will become familiar with Marquette University's Professional Formation Competencies. Based on the National Association of Colleges and Employers Career Readiness Competencies and Marquette's Guiding Values, the Professional Formation Competencies provide a guide for students to better understand the top skills employers seek so they can intentionally prepare for life after Marquette. By the end of this workshop, students will be aware of the Professional Formation Competencies, understand how they have developed these competencies in academics and through other campus experiences, and set goals to further develop these competencies.

Theme: Jesuit

Closing and Missioning: 4:00 p.m.