The Everyday Leaders Event luncheon nominated several Weber State University students and faculty members on March 30 at Weber State University to celebrate their leadership skills.
This is the second anniversary of the event, with last year’s luncheon awarding nominees with a bonsai tree and a note. According to the event’s organizer, WSUSA Leadership Vice President Mackenzie Stokes, the event was so successful they decided to continue.
“Our whole goal as a Leadership Team is to show students that everyone can be a leader in their own way,” said Stokes, “even if they don’t always feel like it.
According to Stokes, the three requirements for receiving a nomination are that the nominee cannot be a member nor involved with WSUSA, they must “exemplify leadership qualities in their everyday lives” and make a positive change or impact in someone’s life at WSU. The individual must also be nominated by the WSUSA Leadership Team.
Current American Democracy Project Chair and 2018-19 Leadership Vice President Bret Alexander expressed an interest having the nominating process expand beyond their team. He said this may include allowing department heads to nominate people within their organizations or selecting from one college a month.
“I think it will take some time to get our event on that big of a scale,” Stokes said on the idea of expanding The Everyday Leaders event. “My opinion on the matter is that it would be great to expand it, but I also think we have to make some changes to it first before we can get there.”
Alexander believes this event is particularly special because it highlights those who aren’t normally under the spotlight, such as those involved in sports, theatre or student government.
“They could be a student that goes to work, to school and then home,” Alexander said. “There are so many different types of leaders. That is what makes this event amazing. There is not a cookie-cutter prototype of a leader — there is diversity.”
Beyond those who are nominated, Stokes believes this event has also had a positive influence internally within her own department as well.
“This specific event really challenged my team to look at what everyday leadership really means and then the opportunity to search for those on campus that exemplify those qualities,” Stokes said.
