A recent leadership conference took place in Ashland, Ore. at Southern Oregon University from Oct. 11 to Oct. 13. Guided by Central Oregon Community College Afrocentric Program Coordinator Marcus Legrand, with SOU Program Specialist Marvin Woodard, the three-day conference saw six COCC students partner with over a dozen SOU students in efforts to launch a new alliance, Central and Southern Oregon Leadership Experience.
The aim of the program is vast–The Broadside spoke with both of the organizers of this conference. LeGrand said that the program is aimed at the brilliant and intelligent students who fall between the cracks of society to propel them upwards and forwards. Equipping students with skills to both survive and thrive in society, not simply in higher education.. Ranging from those of color, those of the LGBTQ+ community, simply to those that are without homes, or disenfranchised.
“So you have a lot of brilliant students who never truly get the recognition they deserve until they maybe made a choice and found people to support them, alright?” said LeGrand. He was inspired to make this happen because he felt like not enough action had been taken to actually listen to students. This program is student driven, and this program is aimed to give students a platform to voice what they actually want, from the strategies and initiatives to the upcoming workshops and conferences, the choices are the students’ to make.
“I think in education, what we have a tendency to do [as staff] is say we’re doing it for the students, but a lot of times, we don’t really engage the students in a way where they truly are able to make or be a part of decision, or be the ones who clearly made the decisions.”
LeGrand and company are a part of this alliance to help students help themselves. This conference was possible via the annual budget given to each school, along with various non-profits in Central and Southern Oregon, including the Father’s Group and Black Southern Oregon Alliance. “College should not be a place you just go into debt.” Legrand said.
“College should not be a place you just go into debt,” said Legrand.
Speaking to Woodard, reflected a vision similar to LeGrand’s in terms of being student driven, but with clear differences. Program specialist at OSU, Woodard has clearly been driven by important questions: How do we impact our communities? What does it mean to be in community with each other? What is going on in our state?
Woodard’s efforts, alongside many others, to address these aforementioned questions moved him to collaborate with LeGrand to help students understand what else is going on outside of their community. To push students outside of what they know in order to broaden their horizons and come away with a different perspective. To become stronger together and connect our various communities, along with strengthening and establishing black relations.
Woodward also reinforced the notion of CSOLE being student driven, but different to LeGrand’s approach. Woodard wants to evaluate the student leaders already present on campus, those willing to commit their time, and see who would be willing and able to shape the program further. As mentors of CSOLE, these students can help initiates become the future mentors that the alliance needs as the old guard takes their leave. Woodard had the clear sentiment of fostering a true organization with legacy leaders who get paid to lead. “Why donate your time for free,” Woodard said.
The Broadside also spoke with a participant who was a part of the leadership conference. Eddie Lopez, a freshman at COCC studying psychology, was most looking forward to meeting new students from both schools and cites the highlight of the experience as the collaborative meetings the schools shared while enjoying food. Lopez is most looking forward to the aspect of the program being self-sufficient. “Student led, student organizations, student boards,” he said, in addition to the idea of overall growth within the program.
A few short term goals on the horizon for CSOLE seems to be public outreach and recruitment to gain traction and establish firm ground to build off of, along with meeting both in Redmond and Bend. A few goals still on the distant horizon would be a self-help improvement workshop, a literary workshop, and a few nights simply for pleasure–rock climbing, skiing. In addition, a CSOLE zine (informatory pamphlet), a newsletter, and further mentoring opportunities.
