Inspiring Keynote Speakers at the General Sessions

2. KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

3. RYAN AUSTIN PALMORE • Keynote Address – Opening General Session • International President, Ryan Austin Palmore • Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. • a student at IVY Tech Community College in Indianapolis, Indiana • served as chapter vice president & as Phi Theta Kappa’s Student Government representative before being elected chapter president • elected International President at the 2012 Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. • the Student Representative on the Phi Theta Kappa Board of Directors. • received a 2011 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship in addition to various other scholarships from his college • has won writing awards and is a member of his college’s Democrats Club and the Student Government Association. • plans a career as a philosophy professor and hopes to become a recognized contemporary philosopher. He also hopes to publish creative nonfiction and is working to publish his manuscript, As I Awoke: A Memoir of Dreams, Demons and Redemption.

4. GEOFF COLVIN • keynote speaker • during the Second General Session Friday, April 5, at 10:00 a.m. • award-winning thinker, author, broadcaster and speaker on today’s most significant trends in business • longtime editor and columnist for FORTUNE • one of America’s sharpest and most respected commentators on leadership, globalization, wealth creation, the infotech revolution, & related issues • as anchor of Wall Street Week with FORTUNE on PBS, speaks each week to the largest audience reached by any business television program in America • author of 2008 groundbreaking book, Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers From Everybody Else, • born and raised in Vermillion, South Dakota • an honors graduate of Harvard with a degree in economics and has an M.B.A. from New York University

5. BILLIE JEAN KING • keynote speaker for the Third General Session • named one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century” by Life • a 2009 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom • won 39 Grand Slam titles during her career, including 20 Wimbledon titles & 4 U.S. Open singles championships, & was ranked the number 1 woman player in the world for five years • defeated Bobby Riggs in one of the greatest moments in sports history – the Battle of the Sexes on September 20, 1973 • co-founded World Team Tennis (WTT) in 1974, the revolutionary co-ed professional tennis league, & the Women’s Sports Foundation • Elton John & Bernie Taupin wrote the song “Philadelphia Freedom” in 1975 • named Global Mentor for Gender Equality by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2008, received the NCAA President's Gerald R. Ford Award in 2009 & was honored with Major League Baseball's Beacon of Change Award in 2010 & was appointed to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition in 2010. • King continues to be a leader in the fight for equality and recognition in the GLBT community, and has been honored by many of the leading GLBT organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD and Lambda Legal Foundation. • in August 2006, the National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in honor of her accomplishments on and off the court. • serves on the boards of the Women’s Sports Foundation & the Elton John AIDS Foundation & is a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition

6. DR. ROD RISLEY • Keynote Address, Fourth General Session • Executive Director of Phi Theta Kappa • member of the 21st-Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges, was named a Distinguished Alumnus by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and also received AACC’s prestigious Leadership Award • Representing Phi Theta Kappa, Dr. Risley was one of six signers of Democracy’s Colleges Call to Action, resulting in a national effort to double the number of community college credentials by 2020. Over the past three years, Dr. Risley has traveled extensively, speaking in numerous states and internationally to advance the cause of college completion • creation and development of CollegeFish.org • one of six signers of Democracy's Colleges Call to Action, resulting in a national effort to double the number of community college credentials by 2020 • member of the 21st Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges, was named a Distinguished Alumnus by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), & also received AACC's prestigious Leadership Award • Community College Completion Corps, the student-led initiative created by Phi Theta Kappa • inducted into Mu Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at San Jacinto College in Texas & is a past National President • graduated from Sam Houston State University, received a master's degree from Millsaps College & a Ph.D. from Mississippi State University

7. EDUCATIONAL FORUMS

8. Educational Forum: A Graduate Degree: Your Stepping Stone to Leadership , Service and Success • SHOW YOUR LEADERSHIP!!!! • When applying • Leadership is key to that graduate degree! Geico offers scholarships to PTK going into graduate degrees. • How to increase your chances of acceptance • * Academic: challenge yourself, show leadership in your class and most importantly when entering not just grad school but in any situation, keep your skills current. Do a refresher course. • * Personal: volunteer, community service, do curricular activities. • You need to be specific of what you learned and how it met your personal educational goals. • * Recommendation letters. • Ask a professor for one and ask for their approval to make a copy and use it again in case another occasion arises. • * Essay: when writing your essay make sure the name of the school is properly spelled, capitalized and punctuated and follow the essay’s directions.

9. Educational Forum: Leading with Ethics • " One of the most universal cravings of our time is a hunger for compelling and creative leadership." - John MacGregor Burns • “Leadership is seeing someone who has no one to play with and ask them to play." - Kathy Lund Dean • Leadership is free! You can act upon leadership at any time. • Ethics and your role: ethics starts with YOU! • * Leadership is passion , making difficult and fair decisions, having a good moral compass, providing opportunities for others. • * Be a leader not a commander, this is the excise of leadership, providing purpose. • Focus on the community! • Think about “How do I want to be treated?" • Personally I want fairness, love, respect and not to be taken advantage of. • It all filters into: • *ethically focus on process, not an outcome. • *effective leadership starts and ends with the leader serving those who follow. • *leadership is a process of influence, it is all about relationships, make it personal, be nice, recognize those personal values and the ethics within those values. • * Most importantly, live by the golden rule: valued, appreciated, trusted, and respected!

10. Educational Forum: Funding Your Cause • Not just a bake sale, creating new ideas for leading a successful fundraiser! • It will reduce the out of pocket costs! • Reach out to locally known sponsors: show them your vision, tell them your vision, create that relationship, make them feel invested in what your offering. • Reach out to local school districts such as elementary schools to collaborate in events! • Contact different businesses and gain community relationships : * let them know who you are! * it is an act of fellowship! *believe you can do anything you put your heart and mind to! • Get on the phone and get out to that location!

11. REWARDS AWARDS

12. c4 SIGNING: COMMIT TO COMPLETE

13. HIA PROJECT 5 STAR CHAPTER MSR Honors in Action Hallmark Award

14. COLLEGE PRESIDENT AWARD Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction

15. CHAPTER ADVISOR AWARD Paragon Advisor Hallmark Award