Student roundtable meets with Paino to discuss issues

During college, establishing meaningful relationships and developing leadership experience can make a difference and impact others. For members of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, these opportunities already are starting to have an impact.

To build connections among students, the University and the community, members of ODK meet with University President Troy Paino for roundtable discussions to learn more about leadership and real world experience.

ODK president senior Philip Schuchardt says members meet three to four times a semester with Paino to have an open discussion. Schuchardt says the conversation might include addressing issues on campus, meeting with community leaders and allowing Paino to learn more about students.

Because ODK works to ensure every campus interest is represented during the roundtable discussions, Schuchardt says they are looking for a diverse array of students to represent Truman State.

Schuchardt says the organization strives to recognize and represent leadership through five pillars —

  1. scholarship
  2. athletics
  3. campus and community service, social and religious activity and campus government
  4. journalism, speech and mass media
  5. creative and performing arts

“It’s nice to be able to branch out in an organization like ODK and meet people I probably otherwise wouldn’t meet, but have a similar interest in leadership,” Schuchardt says. Schuchardt said the 41 ODK members represent a variety of majors and interests. Even if an interest or pillar is not represented other members have connections with others on campus who represent those pillars, he says.

Schuchardt says while ODK looks for students in leadership positions, it also considers students who lead behind the scenes and do not hold formal positions within other campus organizations.

Because space is limited when they meet in Paino’s office, Schuchardt says only 10 members meet at each roundtable discussion and they rotate which members attend depending on how everyone’s schedules align.

To read more about the topics discussed at these roundtables, check out the Index online through Issuu.