Regional Officers at Headquarters
An Opportunity Like No Other
Keri Szymanski is Phi Theta Kappa's 2004-05 International President. An international business major, she attends Tompkins-Cortland Community College in Dryden, New York. She served as an officer of the New York Region in 2003-04.
Phi Theta Kappa could be called a ropes course for life. Our chapters approach projects as a team, and with time we learn how to work as a machine, developing skills that we need in our personal lives and in the business world. Our programs and projects offer limitless opportunities. For regional officers, the key to a successful year is knowing how to become a resource for your region. Phi Theta Kappa recognizes this and offers a specialized program to prepare regional officers - the International Leadership Conference for Regional Officers.
Regional officers are the heartbeat of the society. Being able to learn about Phi Theta Kappa programs and leadership with other regional officers is like the difference between seeing the art of Van Gogh in a book and going to a museum to see his brushstrokes. The real-life experience is powerful and requires a concentrated amount of time. Until last year, when Regional Officer Days at Phi Theta Kappa's Headquarters in Jackson, Mississippi was introduced, an educational opportunity like this did not exist.
In-depth knowledge of the programs and history of Phi Theta Kappa is imperative if one is to be an effective leader of his or her region. Training at the Center for Excellence left me with a deeper understanding of the organization, and supplied tools I could share with my region, chapters and advisors on how to achieve chapter success.
Last summer, 71 regional officers and eight regional coordinators arrived at Phi Theta Kappa's International Headquarters for the training that began with a tour of the Center for Excellence. Headquarters staff members were ready with two full days of presentations to prepare us for the year ahead.
These two days began with a walk through the Society's history. Looking into the future, we were among the first to see the Society's new marketing materials with the Good as Gold theme. The instruction in Phi Theta Kappa programs was paired with the development of leadership skills using activities from Phi Theta Kappa's Leadership Development Studies Program. News about the Society's key programs - the Honors Study Topic and International Service Program - helped us learn more about opportunities for our chapters to become involved.
We also received instruction on navigating the Phi Theta Kappa website - the most powerful networking tool a Phi Theta Kappa member may access. As a regional officer, I was able to give this same presentation at our leadership conferences in New York, which helped new members get connected, and showed them where to obtain any information they might need throughout the year.
During those two days we were given opportunities to meet in small groups to discuss the information we had learned, and create a plan of action as to how to best share this information with our regional officer teammates and chapters.
Before we went our separate ways, we took a tour of Canton, Mississippi, to see the beginnings of Phi Theta Kappa: the former Headquarters buildings, the home of the Society's first Executive Director Dr. Margaret Mosal, and then her gravesite. We became a united team of regional officers as a result of that training, and were able to stay in touch, share ideas and create projects throughout the rest of the year via the Regional Officer Forums.
Regional officers, another educational event awaits you - a new and improved version of Regional Officer Days, entitled International Leadership Conference for Regional Officers and Regional Coordinators. The event will take place in two sessions: August 5-8 for regional officers from Divisions I and II, and August 12-15 for regional officers from Divisions III and IV. Spaces are limited, so it is recommended that plans be made as far in advance as possible. Don't let this opportunity pass you by.
Contact Keri.
