It is First and Goal to Leadership at the College of Charleston’s Lee and Ann Higdon Fall Leadership Conference. Students will hear from legendary coach Herman Boone, who inspired the blockbuster hit Remember the Titans. The Conference will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the Marriott Lockwood Hotel (170 Lockwood Blvd.) from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The Fall Leadership Conference helps students from all Charleston-area universities to develop new leadership skills or gain a better understanding of their existing leadership skills/traits they may not have ever identified as such. Topics covered during the conference include building dynamic teams, different leadership styles, group communication, diversity, and student accountability. The event is free for College of Charleston students and $35 for students from other universities. Registration is required.

“Many students do not immediately identify strong life skills like problem solving, time management, recognizing individual differences, appreciating others, and accountability as enhancement to their leadership and being a good leader,” says Michael Duncan, director of the Higdon Student Leadership Center. “We stress that leadership is so much more than a title or position. All of the sessions at this conference demonstrate the concept of life skills and leadership as a relational process among like-minded individuals.”

About Herman Boone, Keynote Speaker

Herman Boone graduated from North Carolina Central University in 1958 and became a teacher and coach. After success in several Virginia and North Carolina high schools, he was appointed the first consolidated head football coach when the city of Alexandria, Virginia decided to totally integrate its school system (1971). He was named head football coach at T.C. Williams High School over a white coach Bill Yoast with several years seniority and a steadfast citywide following. Remarkably, Herman was able to pull together and solidify a diverse coaching staff and an unfocused group of young boys into one of the most powerful football teams in the state of Virginia, winning the 1971 Virginia State Championship. This team was ranked second in the nation by national polls. The willingness of these young men to talk to each other, along with their determination to win, brought together a city torn apart by prejudice and hatred.

For more information, contact Michael Duncan at 843.953.6356.