Guam Community College’s annual Need To Lead Conference, which focuses on helping college-aged students gain leadership skills and succeed in a classroom and work setting, was held Friday morning via Zoom.
This year’s conference focused on adapting to the environment that is currently changing the lives of the future graduates due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the virtual event, GCC President Mary Okada addressed the importance of the students learning these skills and expressed hope that even during these stressful times, they can still accomplish their academic and career goals.
“Putting together this conference by our CSI group, with the support of our faculty members, is really focusing in on what we can do to really help our students succeed. Realizing that we are in difficult and unprecedented times, if you’ve been watching the media or listening to the media, both on the local front and the national front, everyone can get frustrated by the messages that are being put out there” Okada said
She continues, “We want to ensure that you are provided with the tools you need to continue your courses, but to also recognize that if there is anything you need to get you through this journey, whether it be counseling services, or academic advisement support,…help us help you continue your education. This is the time for the education you receive so that you’d have the opportunity to upscale, so you can garner the jobs that will become available to you.“
Okada also said she understands the difficulty of finding work at this present time but believes that if students upskill to a level where they able to obtain “good” jobs, then it would be meeting the goal of the community college’s mission.
The virtual conference was sponsored by The Council of Postsecondary Student Affairs (COPSA) and the skill shops presented were techniques to manage and reduce stress, time management, and online etiquette for students.
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