Singletary Scholars present ‘Lead Your Way’ Leadership Conference

Members at the University of Kentucky gathered Feb. 28 for the annual Lewis Honors College “Lead Your Way” Leadership Conference, an event designed to explore how leadership takes shape across disciplines and experiences. Hosted at the honors college by the Singletary Scholars class of 2029 cohort, the conference brought together community leaders, faculty and students for a day of discussion, reflection and learning about what it truly means to lead.

Ryan Quarles, Ed.D., J.D., president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, delivered keynote remarks. Quarles discussed his motivation toward public service, which has also included two terms as Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture and three terms as a state representative in the Kentucky House. He also talked to the audience of 96 about farming on his family’s land in rural Scott County.

Conference chair and Singletary Scholar Olivia Lorenz reflected on the experience of planning the event.

“Having the opportunity to plan and execute this conference taught me so much about myself and my leadership strengths and areas of improvement,” Lorenz said. “I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity to learn about navigating event planning and build stronger relationships with the cohort.”

Current Singletary Scholar Skylar Merta also reflected on the experience.

“I think we all felt an extraordinary amount of accomplishment after seeing our hard work turn out so well,” Merta said.

The “Lenses of Leaders” panel, a highlight of the conference, brought together professionals and students from different fields to discuss their perspectives on leadership., Moderated by Tony Colella, director of admissions and recruitment and co-instructor for the Singletary Scholars courses for the Lewis Honors College, the panel included:

• Laura Bryan, Ph.D., Lewis Honors College interim dean
• Jillian Pyatte, director of programs and operations at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass
• Auburn Mattingly, project engineer at Brown + Kubican Structural Engineers
• Jacob Rudy, UK agricultural education and advocacy student
• McKenna Dowell, UK student body president and political science and history prelaw student
• Matthew Bacon, M.D., UK College of Medicine associate professor and Golisano Children’s at UK division chief of pediatric critical care medicine

The discussion allowed students to see how leadership can look different across professions while encouraging them to reflect on their own leadership styles.

Following the keynote, panel discussion and lunch, students participated in breakout sessions, exploring leadership in a more interactive setting. Session leaders included:

• Karen Clancy, Ph.D., UK clinical leadership and management program director
• Cory Curl, Ph.D., lecturer and director of undergraduate studies at the Martin School of Public Policy
• Savannah Robin, Ed.D., lecturer for career and professional development in the equine science and management program at Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
• Kwame Agyemang, Ph.D., professor of sport, organizations and society and director of the College of Education’s Future of Sport Institute
• Michael Johnson, Ph.D., associate dean for undergraduate education and student success at the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering
• Winter Phong, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Fine Arts’ Department of Arts Administration

When considering the conference and its speakers, Colella reflected on his experience and insight into what the conference was providing.

“The conference appeared to really meet the ‘Lead Your Way’ theme,” Colella said. “It was most impressive that President Quarles, our panelists and other special guests all seemed to remind our students that each leadership style and trait is different, and leadership is not a one-size-fits-all.”

View a video of the conference, produced by Alex Masterson.