UNK’s Beta Gamma Sigma Leads the Way in Washington, D.C.

UNK seniors Emily Hall and Shayli Wilkinson recently put their leadership skills to the test on the other side of the country while attending the Cultivating Authentic Leadership Regional BGS Conference held in Washington D.C. These College of Business and Technology students, both members of Beta Gamma Sigma, spent a recent weekend at Howard University networking and learning more about the authentic leadership skills they’ve been learning at UNK.

Wilkinson explains how her time spent as a student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney has uniquely prepared her to be the leader she needs to be in order to successfully navigate her future career. In addition to the numerous classroom opportunities she has received thanks to the experiential learning that UNK is known for, Wilkinson shares how her participation in organizations has been instrumental in preparing her to be a leader.

Being part of Beta Gamma Sigma has made a significant impact on both Wilkinson and Hall. This international honor society serves business programs which are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Wilkinson explains how this is a “very prestigious program” that consists of the top ten percent of students from the top six percent of business schools. This membership, which is the highest honor a business major can receive, was celebrated recently at the conference hosted by Howard University where students from around the world met to learn about authentic leadership and network with future business leaders. 

Hall explains how one of the highlights of the conference centered around an activity where participants listed the traits they want to be known for. After narrowing these traits down to three words, students strived to be “super intentional” with them as they focused on doing their personal best all weekend. This is something Hall knows she will carry with her as she finishes her senior year and embarks on her chosen profession.

Wilkinson added that she appreciated how the speakers shared with students the importance of focusing on their personal definition of success. She liked the way the speakers discussed the meaning of  leadership and how to be the “best authentic you in the best professional setting.” Learning about how your actions should match what you say encouraged Wilkinson to “not put comfort over character.” 

A natural leader in all her classes, she shared how a session at the conference where she learned about the importance of being a follower really spoke to her. Wilkinson “typically takes leadership roles” in her classes and is now pondering how being a “good follower makes the leader’s role easier.” This level of emotional intelligence will be imperative to her future success in her career after she earns her MBA from UNK.

One of the highlights of the conference for both Hall and Wilkinson was an activity where students were divided into groups of five and given a leadership problem to solve. Hall shares how, out of all the groups, Wilkinson’s solution to the hypothetical leadership problem was chosen as one of the top five by the judges. She was then given the honor to present at the conference, giving her an on-the-spot opportunity to practice the authentic leadership skills she has been honing for the past four years at UNK.

Hall, an accounting major who is also pursuing a minor in marketing and management, plans to take what she learned about authentic leadership at the conference with her as she begins working in Omaha as an audit associate after graduation. Thanks to the chance she had to work as an intern, her experiences at UNK, and opportunities such as this conference, Hall’s professional future is on the right path.

A finance major who is minoring in marketing and management, Wilkinson plans to continue her pursuit of her MBA after graduation. Understanding how her roots will influence her as a leader, she looks forward to taking what she’s learned as a University of Nebraska at Kearney student and applying it to her work in the business world.

Reflecting on everything they learned at the conference, Hall and Wilkinson see a connection between what they’ve been learning at UNK in their leadership classes, opportunities they’ve had as leaders in organizations such as Beta Gamma Sigma, and everything the speakers at the conference shared. The speakers and the activities helped Hall and Wilkinson cultivate the skills they will use as they impact the business community as future professionals.

It’s no surprise that these University of Nebraska at Kearney students were leaders at the Beta Gamma Sigma conference. Leading the way to success is just something Lopers do. The future of the business world is bright thanks to the authentic leadership skills of students like Emily Hall and Shayli Wilkinson.