OfficerT R ALeadership INING Goes Virtual in 2021
Officer Leadership Training (OLT) has always been about two things: providing opportunities for chapter leaders of our organization to grow into the best version of themselves and fostering lifelong bonds with members from across the country. Now, even in 2021, that goal hasn’t changed, but our approach has. Presenting a silver lining, COVID-19 allowed OLT to go virtual. A virtual conference presented unique opportunities, such as the ability to partner with a keynote speaker and have professionals from other organizations facilitate our officer tracks, offering diverse perspectives. Going virtual also allowed expanded opportunities for chapters to network with people outside of their regions, while maintaining the consistency of the content that was offered. Officer Leadership Training saw Presidents, Treasurers, Recruitment Officers, New Member Educators, and Chapter Advisors receive specific training in best practices for their respective areas, as well as education furthering their journey to be inclusive leaders. Rising to the commitment of Grand Council’s Strategic Initiatives, we were pleased to have Tara Fuller present her keynote, “The ABCs of Inclusion.” Through her keynote, collegians and alumnae learned: • how to distinguish their own identities and how those relate to their peers and community; • how to define privilege and recognize the impact institutional and/or organizational history plays on social identities; • the responsibilities of a making a positive impact and being a contributing member of their communities; and,
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• the ways to incorporate inclusive language into their collegiate and/or membership experience. Following the keynote, breakout sessions were held to dive deeper into diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA). Participants were challenged to think about how we can take responsibility for being intentionally inclusive in both our personal lives and creating an inclusive chapter and organizational culture. Cross-chapter collaboration even led to some chapters creating new positions, while others considered how the language of their bylaws and codes of conduct may impact access and inclusivity. The positive impact of addressing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access cannot be overstated. Of 193 attendees surveyed, 96% agreed that Tara’s keynote gave them a deeper understanding of DEIA issues, and another 93% agreed that the DEIA breakout sessions allowed them to create tangible action items to be more inclusive. The survey responses also indicated that there is a hunger for more of this kind of training – from both alumnae and collegians. Theta Phi Alpha has a history of striving to be inclusive in our national policies, and this January, Tracey Liphardt, AN, National President, reaffirmed that commitment wholeheartedly when she addressed our membership at OLT.
