Date: February 4, 2012
Time: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Russell House University Union

What is SLDC?

The Student Leadership and Diversity Conference (SLDC) is Saturday, February 4, 2012 from 9am-4:30pm. This year’s theme is Ignite Change! This one day regional conference provides an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to interact with individuals from other schools in the region. SLDC trains and educates student leaders in essential leadership skills, developing their leadership identity, working and leading in a diverse society, and initiatives and methods to create sustainable positive change. Conference highlights include over 25 educational sessions and 2 keynote speakers, Joshua Fredenburg and Marie-Louise Ramsdale.

SLDC is sponsored by Leadership Programs and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of South Carolina, Department of Student Life.

Who Attends?

All students and staff at universities, colleges, & technical schools in the southeast region are invited to join their peers at SLDC. In previous years, SLDC has attracted more than 400 students for this exciting one-day conference.

SLDC is especially beneficial for:

Student Organizations
Student Governments
Residence Hall Governments / Resident Hall Advisors
Greek Organizations
Programming Boards
Student Media Organizations
Advisors

Just to name a few!

Why YOU Should Participate:

Network with students and advisors throughout the region
Develop leadership essentials for any role
Be a part of engaging discussion about maximizing your student leadership experience
Learn more about working and leading in a diverse society
Expand your resume by presenting an educational session with a staff or faculty member

Registration

Registration is now closed for the 2012 conference.

All registration is final and non refundable. However, registration is transferable from one participant in the group to another participant within the same group.

After completing the registration form, you will receive an email confirming your participation. Payment is expected within 2 weeks of registration date by cash or check made payable to: University of South Carolina. If registering with less than 2 weeks prior to the conference, payment is expected upon check-in on Saturday, February 4, 2012. Check-in takes place between 9am – 10am in the Russell House 2^nd Floor Lobby located at 1400 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208.

Help us Ignite Change!
Please help us ignite change in the community by bringing along any unused hygiene products you are able to donate! This may include items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorants, etc. All items will be donated to the Lutheran Family Services organization and the Alston Wilkes Society supporting youth and veteran homes.

Cost
The registration fee price includes lunch and all necessary materials for the conference.

        Early Bird-Registration Fees (must be purchased by January 1, 2012)
       Non USC-Columbia participants: $30.00 per participant
       USC-Columbia participants: $20.00 per participant

     Registration (post January 1 off campus, post January 11 on campus)
     Non USC-Columbia participants: $45.00 per participant
     USC-Columbia participants: $20.00 per participant

Hotel, Parking, and Campus Maps

The Inn at USC is offering a special rate of $99 per night per room. Contact and reservation information is available at: http://www.innatusc.com/. Please mention the Student Leadership & Diversity Conference to receive this special rate.

Please see the attached document for additional hotels in the area – Hotel Information

Car/van parking for the conference is located in the Bull Street garage located behind the Russell House University Union. Buses can drop conference participants off in front of the Russell House and can then park in the Barnwell Street lots. The USC map below includes directions for parking for cars/vans and buses.

USC Parking Map

Conference Schedule

The conference will take place in the Russell House University Union.

9:00 – 10:00a.m. 2^nd Floor Lobby
Check-In & Continental Breakfast

10:00 – 11:00a.m. Ballroom
Opening Session & Keynote: Joshua Fredenburg

11:10a.m. – 12:00p.m. 2^nd and 3^rd Floors
Session One

12:10 – 1:00p.m. 2^nd and 3^rd Floors
Session Two

1:00 – 2:15p.m. Ballroom
Lunch & Keynote: Marie-Louise Ramsdale

2:30 – 3:20p.m. 2^nd and 3^rd Floors
Session Three

3:30 – 4:30p.m. Theater
Closing Session & Keynote: Joshua Fredenburg

Educational Sessions

Check out the 30 educational sessions that will be presented at this year's conference!

Educational Session Abstracts

Session Learning Outcomes:

Foundations & Pillars for Success – sessions focused on “building our toolbox” with essential skills all leaders need to succeed
Leadership Development – sessions focused on developing student leadership identity, including values, vision, ethics, and purpose
Diversity Education – sessions focused on working and leading in a diverse society
Social Justice – sessions focused on initiatives and methods creating sustainable positive change

Keynote Speakers

Opening and Closing Keynote Speaker: Joshua Fredenburg

Joshua Fredenburg is a national leadership speaker, author and expert on current issues and effective leadership strategies for members of Generation Y. For the past six years, Joshua has served as a dynamic keynote speaker in 35 different states for leadership conferences, retreats and trainings at both high school and college campuses.

In addition to speaking and empowering Generation Y for leadership success, Joshua has also written three books, spoken on a variety of television shows as an expert on issues pertaining to Generation Y and has developed a leadership conference that prepares college students and young professionals for high-level leadership positions after graduation. He also mentors and coaches various student leaders throughout the country, writes a popular monthly newsletter on issues that revolve around leadership, and has been taught powerful leadership lessons from some of America’s most successful leaders.

As a keynote speaker, Joshua has been well received by a variety of different audiences for his amazing energy, inspiring and engaging messages, insightful wisdom and knowledge about leadership, and his strong commitment to helping emerging leaders become great leaders of the 21st Century. He has also been very popular amongst high school and college audiences because of his positive attitude, exciting presentations, authentic message, and his strong ability to connect and make his message relatable to diverse audiences throughout the country.

When a conference leadership team decides to book Joshua Fredenburg as their keynote speaker, they can be sure that Joshua will not only provide inspiration, lots of positive energy, leadership expertise, and an engaging message with practical and applicable leadership strategies, but in addition to these qualities above, he will also provide a $100.00 scholarship, a free wristband for every student in attendance, opportunities for students to connect with him after the presentation, and leadership skills that will help emerging leaders for a lifetime!

Lunch Keynote Speaker: Marie-Louise Ramsdale

Marie-Louise Ramsdale is a 1990 magna cum laude graduate of the University of South Carolina with a major in international studies and minor in women's studies. Of all the activities she was involved in during her time at the University, Marie-Louise believes the most important was Student Govenment, of which she served as Student Body President from 1989-90. Her student government involvement led to the creation of Freshman Council, the installation of the first emergency call boxes, and the creation of a standing university safety committee. Marie-Louise received the Algernon Sidney Sullivan award as a senior.

Marie-Louise, who was born in England but moved to the United States in 1980, attended Harvard Law School, from which she graduated cum laude in 1993. After law school, Marie-Louise returned to Columbia to open City Year’s first national expansion site. From 1996-1999, she worked for Nelson Mullins law firm as an associate attorney. In 1999 she was asked by Governor Hodges to be the inaugural director of South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness, a statewide early childhood development program. Marie-Louise has resided on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, since 2003. She is the principal attorney at the Ramsdale Law Firm, LLC, which practices exclusively in the area of family law. Marie-Louise is active in numerous community and legal organizations, and presently serves on the House of Delegates and the Nominating Committee of the South Carolina Bar. She and her husband Tom Ross have two children, Eleanor (student council president at her elementary school and budding actress), age 10, and William (a rising star tennis player and ardent Gamecock fan), age 9. When she is not working or being a mom, Marie-Louise enjoys running, coordinating social activities for friends, and cooking – with her latest obsession being the slow cooker.

For additional information, please call 803-777-7130 or email us at saleader@mailbox.sc.edu.