(L to R) Sheryl Merkley, Clark Merkley, Debby and Jim Lauret, Alitha Thompson, Lynn Hillstead, Spencer Mack and D.J.Smith)

                 I had the wonderful experience of attending the Rotary International Utah District Conference on May 13, 2022. The Orem-Lindon Rotary Club was gracious to sponsor my registration so I  could learn valuable skills that have made me a better leader within the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF), a coalition of student clubs at Utah Valley University. I also volunteered as a youth host to help the speakers connect their computers to the projector and sound, as well as direct Rotarians to the sessions they wanted to attend.

            In between my host responsibilities, I attended leadership growth sessions. The first one, dedicated to building connections between Rotaract and Rotary clubs, gave great ideas for finding dedicated Rotaractors, such as working through social platforms and attracting new members through QR codes attached to treats.

The Rotary International Club is changing its policy, opening the Rotaract club to a flexible age limit, making it more inclusive to all college students. The conference stressed the importance of merging the generations, something we work towards in UIMF through the Student-engaged Learning model. We were able to explain this during the presentation and confirm that we found the same benefits as the image below.

(Rotary/Rotaract presentation talks about the benefits of forming an inclusive club)

 The next presentation was very informative for my degree in Global Politics. It talked about how to write persuasive letters and have a voice in policies, using the acronym  E.P.I.C. The first step is engaging the recipient, either by making personal or political connections. Second, you need to paint the problem or explain the situation in a way they will understand. I think of it as a second connection- connect them to the problem. Third, you need to present a solution. This is the most common step forgotten, present a solution and explain why. Last, you put the responsibility on them, and call on them to respond to you with a yes or no. This is something vital to learn for myself and others in order to change the world.

 (EPIC format for writing or speaking in order to pass policies)

The last session I attended focused on Management styles. It was humbling as I had much to learn to be a better leader to my team. I tend to take all the responsibilities, which doesn’t allow my team members the chance to learn and succeed. It also doesn’t give them the freedom to do their work, maximizing the use of their knowledge and skills The presenter works as a management consultant. He explained the best managers allow the team to pick up responsibilities that work best with their goals, and then back off and let their team do their job. The manager's job is to hold them accountable, checking in the next meeting on the status of those tasks. This is something I am going to try harder to do as a UIMF leader, giving my team the flexibility they need to make our initiatives stronger.

Myself with 2021-22 District Governor Judy Zone

             I especially appreciated District Governor Judy Zone, who took care of me during the conference. She noticed I was feeling unsure, and advised me on how to get people to listen. “You need to walk confidently with a purpose and talk slowly.” She explained that’s where power comes from. When you have a purpose and think about what you say and then say it deliberately, people believe it’s important and listen closely.

            I learned a lot of skills, sometimes in unusual ways, that I hope to bring to my team and my future positions.

           -Alitha Thompson, VP of 2022 Rotaract, VP of UIMF