Inspirational Youth Speaker on Leadership and Service - Jordan H. Davis
Youth leaders are vital to the culture and climate of their communities. They serve as members of student government, organization leaders, resident assistants, and more. These students must be equipped with the leadership and design skills needed to create change.
The Problem
The competitive nature of higher education and the global job market encourages the most talented students to stuff their resumes with extracurriculars. Though these students are highly capable leaders, they sometimes lose the service orientation that is needed to create palpable, equitable change in their communities. Young people are told very early whether they're "smart" in comparison to their peers, a process of tracking that runs counter to the growth mindset needed to empower students. Leadership is more than a position, but it's easy for some to prioritize their individual success over community building and human connection. Today, wellbeing, belonging, and a service orientation are indispensable characteristics of leadership at any level, and we must empower all students to be leaders while showing them what leadership looks like in practice.
Our political, economic, and educational institutions are complex, laced with power dynamics and aged processes that can slow social impact work. At the same time, what companies expect students to know and produce post graduation continues to evolve. How do we equip students to be positive change agents in their communities? How do we teach them the design skills needed to be leaders at the college and professional level?
How Jordan can help you and your audience solve it:
Our students are ambitious. They want to change laws, policies, program outcomes, and how people in their communities think. As a learning designer by trade, Jordan asks questions that get leaders thinking about the needs of their audiences. Attendees learn how to define goals for change, co-design a prototype, collect and asses data, and make a plan for scaling that change.
As a former student leader in many capacities, Jordan is very much aware that students are in the process of forming their own identities while learning how to lead others. He encourages students to embrace this process, and to see the importance of pursuing personal and professional development simultaneously. Jordan's talks touch on key topics like:
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Overcoming imposter syndrome
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Public speaking
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Navigating power dynamics
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Setting healthy boundaries while leading their peers
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Working across diverse groups with varied interests
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Storytelling and getting buy-in
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Human-centered leadership
Your audience will leave the keynote:
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Inspired to make meaningful connections with one another - leadership is not a solo effort
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With helpful habits for continuing personal and professional development
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More confident and ready to exercise their self-agency
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Excited to apply for leadership positions at their current and future schools
