Virginia Intermont students and staff are in for a treat at Opening Convocation as Jason Connell, CEO of Ignited Leadership, returns to VI to kick off the fall semester with an inspiring presentation. As part of the ceremony and the beginning of the 2013-14 convocation series, Connell will speak on “The Heart of Leadership” at Opening Convocation, 3:30 p.m. in Harrison-Jones.
Connell was keynote speaker at VI’s Opening Convocation ceremony in 2010, and very well received by the VI community. Mutually, he said he really loved his time on campus three years ago and is excited to come back. Connell has done his homework asking questions and learning about VI’s programs and students in order to tailor his message which will explore ways that individuals can find leadership opportunities and discover their own leadership skills.
Based in Washington, D.C., Connell is an international speaker and a foremost authority on visionary leadership for young adults, which he says did not come easy. His bio starts out: “At the fresh young age of 19, Jason was a content, ambitious and confident liberal arts student in sunny Florida. And like many other young people in similarly cozy situations, he thought his future would be relatively comfortable and straightforward – graduate from college, find a good job, and generally enjoy the rather hospitable hand that destiny had dealt him. That’s when he spent a semester abroad in China. And everything changed.”
We can’t wait to hear the rest of his story at Thursday’s convocation. Following the ceremony, Connell will be a guest for dinner in the Brantley Dining Room. Students, faculty and staff are invited to join him in the BDR for continued conversation on a space available basis. For questions on the ceremony or dinner, contact Will Hankins at 276.466.7170.