Jess VandenBoom and Kearstin Criswell, Grace College, share with students about growing their own skillsets to give back as a contributor to their communities.

KOSCIUSKO — On Wednesday, Jan 9, Ivy Tech Community College in Warsaw welcomed students and board members with the Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy for a day of learning and self-discovery. The event focused on education opportunities in Kosciusko County and beyond for students considering college.

The meeting began with a presentation from Kearstin Criswell, coordinator of student involvement at Grace College, who shared information with students about how to become invested in their campus while expanding their own leadership opportunities and styles. Kearstin Criswell challenged students to find ways to grow continuously and to assess whether they are a “contributor or a consumer” in their clubs and community.

Criswell encouraged students to become involved and give back to their organizations to make it better than when they first started. She invited Grace College student Jess VandenBoom to share with students about her involvement in a leadership position for the campus’s intramural sporting leagues.

Criswell’s presentation was followed by an interactive panel with Ivy Tech administration. Allyn Decker, Kosciusko Leadership Academy moderator and Ivy Tech chancellor, and Joyce Baker, Ivy Tech assistant developer of career development, shared with students the many opportunities they offer to both high school students seeking college credit as well as students of Ivy Tech College.

Baker challenged students to learn about their own talents and skills when choosing a career path. Students were given a short RIASEC test sheet which allowed them to ascertain whether they were most keen in realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising or conventional interests. Students were able to see which three interests they most fit into and then were provided sample jobs they might enjoy in those fields.

Following the guest presentations, students were split into groups to hear from KYLA board members about their own personal experience with post-high school training and college education. Students were also given glimpses of board member’s careers and how they each reached their current position within their respective organizations.

A special thank you to Ivy Tech for hosting the event as well as Criswell, VadenBoom, Baker and Decker for sharing with students during the January meeting.

Joyce Baker, Ivy Tech, shares with students how to determine which career pathway might be right for them.