NACC student leaders attend Mustang Leadership Academy

(PHOTO: Back Row, left to right: Juan Contreras, Andrea Melchiorrre, Alex Miller, Brianna Wells, Sam Hughes, Michael Warner, and Logan Sears; Front Row, left to right: Savannah Ulmer, Sidney Bailey, Alissa Tilley, Daley Wilks, Kristen Shelton, Skylar Hixon, Paxton Crow, Katie Poe, Karah Wilson, and Briana White. Not Pictured--Austin Sharp.)

By Staff Reports

RAINSVILLE, Ala. — Eighteen of Northeast Alabama Community College’s (NACC) student leaders were recently chosen to attend the Mustang Leadership Academy held on Weiss Lake September 9 - 10.

The leadership retreat was designed to instruct officers from the Student Government Association and the NACC’s honor societies, Sigma Kappa Delta, Mu Alpha Theta, Phi Theta Kappa, in areas of team-building, delegation of responsibilities, and publicity.

The sessions were presented by NACC personnel: Joan Reeves, Director of Student Activities and sponsor of Sigma Kappa Delta; Brad Fricks, sponsor of Phi Theta Kappa; Olivia Dodd, co-sponsor of Phi Theta Kappa; and John Camp, sponsor of Mu Alpha Theta.

NACC student leaders participated in workshops which taught them how to interact with other students and also emphasized important leadership qualities, challenging the students to not only make a difference at Northeast each day but to be role models for other students as well.

The students attended small breakout sessions called Learning Communities, where they were able to focus on learning about themselves as leaders. These small groups were presented with “learning opportunities,” that allowed the students to solve hypothetical problems that might possibly occur within their individual organizations as they assume their roles as leaders.

In addition, the student leaders worked on motivational posters dealing with college completion and collaborated on projects requiring the students to be better listeners and carefully give and follow directions.

While at the retreat, the students were responsible for cooking all the meals and for clean up afterwards. In addition to learning about how to be better leaders, the students were provided the opportunity to get to know each other better and to learn how to collaborate on projects sponsored by NACC. Participants were challenged to explore the dynamics of leadership through understanding their personal talents, valuing the talents of others, and expanding their core leadership skills.

“The retreat is an invaluable experience for our student leaders. The skills that are learned and the camaraderie that is built will help the students better lead their respective organizations and be better representatives of NACC,” said Fricks, sponsor of Phi Theta Kappa.

The sponsors and students are especially grateful to Dr. David Campbell, NACC President, whose generous support of extracurricular activities at NACC make such events as this possible. They would also like to recognize Kerry and Sheila Akins who generously donated the use of their lake house for this experience.

For more information about NACC, go to www.nacc.edu or download our free App.

Attending the Mustang Leadership Academy were: