2015 Chicago Regional Summit

—This post was written by Ashley Brinkman, vice president of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh chapter of Golden Key, and Allie Fowee, an officer of the Eastern Kentucky University chapter—
The Region 5 Summit was held in Chicago, Illinois from March 13-15, 2015. It took place in the beautiful Embassy Suites hotel, which was located right in downtown Chicago. After everyone settled in on Friday, we met in the banquet hall for the opening session. The night was filled with welcoming attendees, popular cheers from each university, and a t-shirt exchange. After meeting other chapters, participating in ice-breakers, and receiving information about the city, we were ready to unlock our potential the next day. No one left the welcoming ceremony without a new friend!

On Saturday, we woke up and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast provided by the hotel. Once our stomachs were filled and we had our caffeine fix for the morning we were motivated and ready to learn through the different workshops that were provided. Each individual was able to choose workshops to attend during each of the four sessions. Workshops allowed individuals to learn and collaborate with others. Through the workshops we bounced ideas and helpful tips off of one another to bring back to our individual chapters. The speakers in these workshops were extremely helpful in providing great information on topics anywhere from stress management to professional development. “Regardless of which workshop you participated in, your personal and professional development were sure to be enhanced. As the Social Director of my chapter, I attended the web-based workshops. We covered everything from ePortfolios to Facebook!” Allie said.
Once the workshops came to an end, we enjoyed some leisure time to explore the city. Some of us relaxed by having a nice lunch next to the Chicago River (which was dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day!), while others walked and shopped on the Magnificent Mile.
                   
Reconvening later that night as a large group, we enjoyed a Chicago style dinner, fancy dessert and listened to an inspiring speech by keynote speaker, Adam Cox. Adam is passionate in human development and in helping others to set and accomplish their individual goals and visions. He is a visionary who believes in “embracing the journey rather than focusing on the destination.”
For our final activity, we divided up into groups to share our Golden Key experiences with one another. After exchanging contact information with our new friends, we said our goodbyes and left the summit ready to bring our new knowledge and inspiration back to our individual chapters. Overall, the Regional Summit was an incredible and strengthening experience!
“Although my university is not a part of Region 5, I felt more than welcome at the 2015 Chicago Regional Summit, and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to attend!” Allie said.
“I left this event with motivation to further accomplishments not only in our Golden Key chapter but also in my personal future and professional career,” Ashley said.