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More than 100 student leaders from four UMass campuses came together Oct. 11 in the Student Union to take part in a day of education sessions, cross-campus connections and dialogue at the first Student Leadership Summit.

Hosted by UMass Amherst Student Affairs and Campus Life, the summit included keynote speaker Ruben Sança, executive director of recreation and wellbeing, who addressed students and staff from activities and leadership offices at the Amherst, Lowell, Dartmouth and Boston campuses. Ashiah Richeme-Alcide, director of Sorority and Fraternity Life, and Mick Mandeau, director of the Center for Education Policy and Advocacy also presented at the summit.

The objective of the summit was to provide an opportunity to bring students from the various campuses together to connect, share resources, recharge their leadership batteries, and learn from the six education sessions offered throughout the afternoon, including building a club brand, integrity, leadership style, holding conversation, event planning and cultural competency. Throughout the day, students were encouraged to connect with their peers over shared college experiences and generate new ideas to bring back to their groups.

 “The first UMass Student Leadership Summit aimed to provide students from the four UMass campuses with the ability to connect and learn with each other, develop their leadership skills, engage across differences, and build genuine relationships with their peers,” says Collin Glasow, associate director of leadership development in Student Engagement.

In a collaborative effort, the four campuses organized and sponsored the program with the help of UMass Amherst undergraduate students Shehreen Rashid, Kylie Kane and Krisha Dua.

“It warmed my heart to see these students from different campuses chatting and brainstorming together, and we've been receiving positive feedback of students implementing what they've learned in their groups,” Glasow says.

Glasow extended thanks to SACL staff, including Sança, Dave Neely, director of diversity,  education and training, Sidónio Ferreira, special assistant to the vice chancellor of student affairs, and Student Engagement’s Thomas Shea for their support in organizing the summit.

Glasow says that advisers throughout the UMass system have already begun reporting that attendees have brought back fresh concepts for new initiatives and are applying what they've learned and planning for the next summit in fall 2025 is already in progress.

“We're confident this event will become a new annual tradition students and staff will look forward to,” he says.