Third annual Leadership in Action Conference prepares 120 student leaders

The Broad College of Business Undergraduate Student Engagement team hosted its third annual Leadership in Action Conference on Saturday, Aug. 23, at the Minskoff Pavilion. Just days before the start of the fall semester, the conference gathered 120 student organization leaders for an afternoon of inspiration, reflection and practical tools to guide the year ahead.

Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) at Michigan State are powered by exceptional students who wear many hats — running meetings, planning events, managing outreach, collaborating with stakeholders, and more. Leadership in Action serves as a launchpad, helping these leaders step into their roles with clarity and purpose while setting the tone among general members and often the wider campus community.

David Souder, the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean, set the tone for the afternoon as he underscored his vision for the students to work hard, work smart and work together. He praised these student organizations as spaces where students can put cross-functional business knowledge into practice through experiential learning. He also encouraged students to consider how they can translate what they learn at the conference into their own journeys while aligning with the mission and vision of Broad.

Molly Barker, an American educator, social entrepreneur and triathlete, is the founder of Girls on the Run International, which she launched in 1996 with 13 participants. The organization is now a national movement, empowering millions of girls across all 50 states by strengthening their social, emotional, and physical skills.

Barker shared her path to leadership and the challenges she faced resisting traditional, hierarchical definitions of leadership and success. She encouraged students to embrace a more human-centered approach to leading their peers. The talk invited a challenge for student to question the status quo by boldly paving their own path and recognizing the invisible systems of power that often pressure leaders to conform.

“When we challenge those systems, we’re creating a more humane world and a place where everyone can thrive,” Barker said. “It’s critical for our world moving forward.”

Through storytelling and student interaction, Barker invited attendees to analyze real moments from her journey, extracting leadership lessons they could apply in their own paths. These dynamic interactions showed the value of each student’s unique interpretation of Barker’s anecdotes, underscoring the importance of diverse perspectives and cross-collaboration.

Kymm Hadlock, fixed-term faculty in the Department of Finance and longtime RSO advisor, distilled those big-picture ideas further into practical strategies. Drawing on years of experience, she challenged students to move beyond task-oriented, transactional leadership and more towards impactful leadership that builds belonging and purpose.

“I want students to have the agency to create the impact that they desire through their organization. This framework empowers leaders to assess how to achieve and align their desired goals with the organization’s purpose.”

Hadlock noted that many aspire to make a greater impact but often struggle with how to do so. She outlined six practical steps to help executive boards define success, align goals with purpose, and engage members more deeply. She framed these steps within their campus roles while also demonstrating how they can translate into creating change beyond campus.

The afternoon closed with alum Oscar Garner (B.S. Finance ’21), who returned to campus to share lessons from his own journey of finding purpose. He urged students to identify a personal “North Star” — an inner compass to guide decisions.

“The North Star couldn’t be more important in students’ early years. There are so many voices and directions our lives can take, and there’s no rules or playbook to use,” Garner said. “The question of, ‘is this for me or not?’ becomes infinitely easier to answer when you have a strong North Star guiding your way.”

Garner spoke candidly about external pressures and the importance of filtering out the noise, stemming from his own experiences as a Spartan.

“I came back to give whatever insight I can to help our Spartans guide their choices according to their personal North Star. I had similar voices in my college days, and without them, I’d be lost myself. I have to pay it forward.”

Garner encouraged students to turn to this idea when they reach an obstacle in their journeys. Above all, he hopes students can use it as a tool to find and own their path, so they feel empowered to take the necessary steps to achieve personal success.

The Leadership in Action Conference is made possible through the Schaberg Student Engagement Fund. Ann Crain, director of undergraduate student engagement at Broad, said she is continually struck by the impact of support from generous donors like the Schabergs. In 2021, Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg were honored as MSU’s Philanthropists of the Year at the Alumni Grand Awards Gala.

“The generosity of Bob and Anna Lou Schaberg continues to strengthen our undergraduate community at key events like Leadership in Action and other ongoing engagement initiatives,” Crain said. “With the Broad Leaders’ Council and additional touch points throughout the year, we’re building a collaborative and respectful culture that will endure for years to come.”

Leadership in Action gives student leaders a rare pause before the semester’s demands, helping them set priorities, learn about themselves and build community with fellow Spartans. True to Dean Souder’s call, participants walked away ready to work hard, work smart and work together.