SU Ag Center hosts conference on faith leadership

Southern University student leaders, who met earlier this week to address the Jaguar Nation’s recent image controversy, can strengthen their efforts by joining 300 leaders at the 2006 Community and Faith Leadership Conference, according to officials at the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center.
Hosted by the SUAREC, the conference will be held September 28 and 29 at the Baton Rouge Marriott.
On-site registration begins at 7:30 a.m.
Conference planners want to encourage student groups to attend the conference because speakers will cover vision casting and strategic planning.
Other topics include writing essentials, financial management and program development.
Given the recent actions student leaders at Southern have taken to end on-campus violence and raise a better awareness for the university’s image, Byrd Minor, SUAREC assistant specialist for community and economic development, said the conference will provide many enriching workshops and discussions that can benefit them with their future efforts.
According to Minor, student organizations experience challenges early on when trying to take their ideas and plans and implement them successfully.
“This is the skill-builder conference,” Minor said. “The conference will build skills in financial management, public policy and organizational capacity that are vital for success.”
Gina Eubanks, vice chancellor for SUAREC agrees.
“Student groups can step up their impact by getting this type of critical information while they are in the formative stages, instead of starting an effort and not having the resources to continue,” Eubanks said.
According to Minor, the conference’s sixteen workshops were selected to benefit young as well as experienced leadership groups.
Scheduled workshop sessions include: “No Mission, No Margin,” “Community Transformation Through Policy,” “Compliance with Internal Revenue Service and Secretary of States Office,” “Financial Management,” “Profit Potential for Your Organization,” “Developing Programs for Change” and “Writing Essentials.”
“The conference is designed to assist community and faith groups with developing programs that will transform lives by exploring opportunities for professional and organizational growth,” Minor said.
The conference originated as the Center’s annual faith-based conference in 1997 and was organized by Ernie Troy Hughes, currently the director of institutional advancement for the Southern University System.
According to Hughes, the conference gives the university an increased role in serving the community.
“African Americans rely heavily on the institution of religion, therefore as a foundation of higher learning we should work closer with our churches to provide housing and economic development at a greater capacity,” Hughes said.
At the conference, participants will also learn how to apply for grants at www.grants.gov, as well as discover the technical and funding resources provided by federal agencies like Department of Housing and Urban Development, the USDA, U.S. Small Business Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services.
“I am interested in learning basic financial tactics, (like) how to set up books for budgeting, create various fund raisers, choose appropriate youth grant programs and articulate our mission to audiences,” said Joshua Wilson, a 15-year-old who is planning to attend the conference this year, hoping to gain insight on starting a hip hop ministry for his church and school.
Wilson is the youngest participant to enroll in the conference.
“The Center is poised to be recognized and valued as a premier provider for practical new discoveries, outreach education and technical assistance in the food, agricultural and human sciences,” said Leodrey Williams, chancellor of the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center.
For more info, visit www.suagcenter.com.