Leadership | Central Oklahoma NAWBO

students in a library One of the great things about college is the amount of opportunities that students have to grow, especially outside of the classroom. Many universities have hundreds of campus organizations that help students develop as leaders in what they are passionate about. Whether it is with sports, student government, or a specific field of study, there is usually an organization for what you are looking for.

The purpose of these organizations is to help develop leaders while creating culture on campus. Leadership is always important and these organizations understand that the skills gained by developing leaders are just as important, if not more important, than development in the classroom.

One of the first steps in becoming involved on campus is finding organizations that line up with your passions and interests. When you find those organizations, the people in them will inspire you to grow and become even more involved.

After you find organizations that go along with your passions, the next move is to apply for leadership positions within the organization. This is usually done a semester or year after the initial involvement. Examples of internal positions in these clubs include president, vice-president, treasurer, etc. Those who apply for these positions see the benefit of being completely immersed in that organization’s goals and the people in it; they are the most passionate and are vocal about their passion.

The biggest challenge is finding something you believe in and then getting the opportunity to lead in that area. Many times, students will not get the positions they apply for and after being denied, they sometimes give up. Do not give up until you are happy with your level of involvement on campus. If someone says no to once, ask and apply again.

Be sure to take opportunities given to you, even if they do not seem like they will help at first. When you try something on campus that doesn’t fit with your goals and interests, don’t be afraid to take another route until you discover what you’re looking for!

Leesa Allmond
Contributing Blogger

Are you looking for an opportunity to be a part of an organization that helps you build your connections, grow your relationships and form mentoring bonds that lead to life long business friendships? Join us on the first Tuesday of each month for the Central Oklahoma NAWBO Business Dinner and learn how you can become part of the 7000+ business women from around the world helping one another grow!

Tuesday, April 2nd 2013

Don’t miss the fourth annual Women Entrepreneurs Inspire (“WE Inspire”) Conference on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013. WE INSPIRE is Recognized as one of “The Top Ten Conferences for Female Entrepreneurs”, and has been awarded a commendation by Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. This one-day symposium will be held from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. Register Online.

Entrepreneurship is the key to revitalizing Oklahoma’s economy and women are leading the charge. Here and across the nation, women are starting for-profit and non-profit ventures, developing innovative new products and services, winning patents, and creating new markets. Today, an estimated 50% of small businesses are owned by women (12.4 million firms generating $2.5 trillion in sales, 2007) and for the past two decades women-owned firms have grown at twice the rate of all other firms. Yet women entrepreneurs still lag behind male owned firms in key areas.

WE INSPIRE is geared broadly towards women who have just started a business, those who may only have an idea for a new business, and women who are looking to grow their existing businesses. WE INSPIRE is a resource-packed day featuring both local and national entrepreneurial role models discussing their failures and successes, as well as providing conference attendees with the latest in business development and strategy. With over 1,000 women entrepreneurs and more than 30 acclaimed speakers in attendance, the conference is also an incredible networking opportunity.

This day-long conference is designed to inspire women to pursue their passions, think big and turn their dreams into reality. We explore unique obstacles, demands and challenges women face when creating and growing their own ventures. The event will feature keynote addresses by leading women entrepreneurs from across the nation and from Oklahoma. Hands-on breakout sessions will examine a broad range of practical issues to enable women to act on their dreams. The breakouts will include two tracks: Start-up and Growth. The Start-up track will focus on creating your own venture, while the Growth track emphasizes ways to grow your venture once it is up and running. This year, WE INSPIRE will also feature sessions on technology entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. This is an incredible opportunity to be inspired, to network and to tap your entrepreneurial potential!

Please join us for a day of inspiration, learning and networking with leading women entrepreneurs from across the country and the State of Oklahoma. Register Online.

Leadership in College

OSU WE Inspire 4th Annual Women’s Business Conference