Call for Proposals
The Student Engagement and Leadership Center would like to invite students, faculty, staff, and community members to submit a presentation proposal for this year’s 21st Century Southwest Leadership Experience.
As we emerge from the constant challenges and changes brought on by a global pandemic, we would like to focus on creating meaningful experiences that expand the opportunities for personal, academic and professional growth of UTEP students while also encouraging leadership development, adaptability and resilience.
Proposal submissions is now closed for the 2022 conference
Conference Dates:
Friday and Saturday, April 22 - 23, 2022
Below are the conference’s educational pillars with which all presentations align:
Mental Health and Holistic Wellbeing (WB)
Sessions on wellbeing will focus on teaching students about creating healthy habits. Students gaining and understanding the importance of creating a holistic lifestyle that includes health of the body, mind, and life’s challenges is critical. Topics can include, but are not limited to: Financial Wellness, Physical Wellness, overall wellbeing, and Mental Health.
Life after UTEP (LAU)
Sessions on Life after UTEP will focus on topics that affect students' post-graduation that can include but are not limited to: the evolution of career paths, information for post-graduate students, finding a sense of purpose, and transitioning from student to professional.
First-generation students (FG)
Sessions on first-generation students will focus on providing insight and understanding into the first- generation college student experience. Topics will include how to navigate college, resources that contribute to student success, how to support first-generation students, how to become an engaged student on campus, how to pick a major, and more.
- *Students do not have to be a first-generation student to attend these sessions.
- **A first-generation student is anyone whose mother, father, or guardian did not receive a baccalaureate (also known as a bachelor’s OR 4-year degree).
Non-traditional students (NT)
Sessions on no-traditional students will focus on topics that could relate to any non-traditional student population including military-affiliated, returning students, return from stop-out students, students over the age of 25, students navigating full time jobs, and more. Sessions will focus on providing student participants help, resources, and insight into successful navigation of the world of academia as a non-traditional student.
Enhancing the College Experience (EC)
This pillar will focus on teaching student participants about action items that help them make the most of their collegiate experience. Topics can include but are not limited to: the importance of and contributions that are made by participation in programs such as the UTEP Edge, Study Abroad, Research and Internship opportunities, Student Organizations, and more.
Finding your Belonging at UTEP (BE)
This pillar will focus on outlining how engagement and involvement leads to success and matriculation. Focus on the different ways in which finding a place on campus and establishing a sense of belonging at UTEP will contribute to students’ academic and professional success, their college experience, effective establishment of networks, and an overall “opening of doors of opportunity”.
Stories from UTEP (ST)
These sessions will focus on topics of persistence, agency, goal setting, and overcoming obstacles. By sharing their stories, UTEP Staff and faculty are encouraged to humanize themselves through vulnerability, thus becoming more relatable and approachable to students.
Leadership (LE)
These sessions will focus on sharing knowledge, training and experience while facilitating meaningful conversations in a variety of leadership areas. These areas include, but are not limited to: effective communication, conflict resolution, organizational strategies and leadership, empathic development, planning and goal facilitation, cultural/global awareness, and more.
Reclaiming My Education (undergraduate and graduate student presenters only) (RE)
Students who present in these sections will share their personal success stories in transitioning back to in-person learning, overcoming the obstacles and challenges of multiple transitions experienced due to COVID-19, and navigating the demands of obtaining their college degree. Students will hear stories about how to reclaim ownership over their education.
For More Information
Please contact the Student Engagement & Leadership Center: selc@utep.edu or (915)-747-5670
Conference Dates:
Friday and Saturday, April 22 - 23, 2022
at The University of Texas at El Paso