A CNN Hero of the Year, several local college presidents and a recent Miss South Carolina are among speakers who will present at a national leadership convention June 13-16 at Grand Valley State University.
Nearly 200 students and faculty advisers representing 70 institutions in the U.S. will attend Omicron Delta Kappa’s 2016 Biennial Convention and Leadership Conference, "Great Lakes, Great Leaders," on the Allendale Campus. ODK is a national leadership honor society that was established in 1914 and is found on more than 300 campuses in the U.S.
The event lineup will include a 5k, community service projects and a president panel discussion that will include Grand Valley President Thomas J. Haas.
Speakers include:
- Derreck Kayongo: one of the 2011 CNN Heroes of the Year and founder of Global Soap, an organization that recycles soap for people in need
- Tom Bowen: director of athletics, University of Memphis
- Bree Boyce: motivational speaker and Miss South Carolina 2011
- John Knapp: president, Hope College
- Ann Marie Klotz: Grand Valley alumna, dean for Campus Life and chief Student Affairs officer, New York Institute of Technology
- Kevin Kruger: associate executive director, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
- Nancy Hunter Denney: founder of Lead365, a national leadership conference
“Omicron Delta Kappa’s national convention is an opportunity to bring together collegiate leaders from across the country to meet together, collaborate on service projects, explore leadership topics and strategies, and hear from our members who have achieved success in their chosen careers,” said Michael Christakis, national president of Omicron Delta Kappa.
This year, Grand Valley's ODK circle chapter is celebrating 25 years. More than 1,000 students have been inducted into the group since 1991. Students who are juniors or above and have a 3.3 GPA or above apply to become a member and must demonstrate one of the five phases of campus life: scholarship, athletics, service, communications and arts.
For more information about the conference, visit www.odk2016.org.
