Rutgers set to host annual MARK Leadership Conference
On Saturday, Rutgers will virtually host its annual MARK Leadership Conference, a student-run event that highlights a diverse array of individuals who have made their own “mark” on the world, according to the event’s website. Students involved with the event discussed the program’s agenda, goals and the transition to a virtual format.
Nicole F. Chen, a student in the Rutgers Graduate School of Education and a MARK Conference graduate coordinator, said the event will consist of storytelling from a variety of main stage speakers and student speakers, as well as interactive activities and opportunities.
The six main stage speakers come from a variety of different backgrounds and industries, with roles ranging from activists to professors to entertainment producers to astronauts-in-training, she said.
“We go in every year with the intention of bringing in new voices of incredible people who make their mark on the world every day,” Chen said.
While the conference usually takes place at the Livingston Student Center on Livingston campus, she said the event was restructured and moved to a virtual setting due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We had to reimagine our conference completely, but we wanted to keep the heart and soul of the conference alive,” Chen said. “Everything was made with purpose.”
She said the MARK Leadership Conference is essential in spreading positivity, empowering action and providing a sense of community for its attendees, especially after such a difficult past year. This year's conference is estimated to have more than 200 individuals in attendance.
“We hope that even though we are not in person together, that attendees will know that they are part of a larger community, and we can’t wait to see what mark they will leave,” Chen said.
This feeling of togetherness created by the conference has inspired some past attendees, such as Cassie Cuddihy, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, to become 1 of this year’s 6 student speakers.
She said witnessing student presentations at last year’s MARK Leadership Conference encouraged her to share her own story this year, which revolves around the lessons she has learned about reflection and self-care in 2020.
“During this difficult time, I know I’ve gained a lot more self-awareness and have taken some much-needed and overdue time to reflect on how I am doing in all aspects of my life,” Cuddihy said. “I hope that I can encourage others to do the same and take a pause and make sure they are taking care of themselves.”
Another student speaker, Vahini Shori, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, said she seeks to use the conference’s platform to explore issues surrounding identity and social justice, as well as discuss her own personal experiences with these topics.
“I think that this year was really a moment of reckoning when talking about race, class, gender, health, access and privilege — I wanted to address it in my own way,” she said.
Shori said it is important for individuals from marginalized communities to claim space and have their voices heard through the sharing of their stories. She said she hopes to inspire others while speaking at the conference.
Overall, both student speakers said participating in this event allows them to create deep connections with their peers through storytelling.
“I think there’s a lot of courage in being vulnerable and sharing a part of your story,” Shori said. “I haven’t really done that before this experience, (so) I am hopeful that my story will resonate with others, I hope they can see some parts of themselves in the story I share and I hope that (it) is a meaningful experience.”
