News Release
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Alumni Relations
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New Castle, DE
19720
alumni@wilmu.edu
Leading From the Heart
A look back at the First Annual Alumni Leadership Development Day
On the morning of November 9, 2013, forty alumni and students gathered at Deerfield in Newark, DE for what would prove to be a truly inspirational day of leadership development. Three incredibly accomplished speakers, whose personal and relatable messages resonated deeply within the hearts of those who attended, highlighted this event. Each speaker brought a unique set of experiences and perspectives leaving the guests with a vast amount of information to reflect upon and digest. And to make this event even more memorable, all of this inspiration was framed with the beauty of the venue, allowing the content to be amplified through the breathtaking views of the surrounding scenery.
Mr. Kurt Landgraf, President and CEO of the Educational Testing Service, kicked off the morning with a powerful message concerning the value of creating a community of employees who recognize the unique role that each member plays in the overall growth of the organization. Following Mr. Landgraf, David B. Rich, Retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Delaware National Guard and current Director of the Veterans Employment and Training Service for the State of Delaware, motivated the attendees with the story of his personal journey in life. He addressed the importance of being intentional with your time and resources. He challenged the group to ask themselves what their ‘WHY’ is in life. “Why” do you get up in the morning, “Why” do you do what you do, “Why” do you question your life’s mission. He was passionate as he talked about being an involved father and husband and wanting his son’s to one day ‘want to be like him’. The day was then concluded with a talk from Peggy Eddens, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Capital Officer for WSFS Bank. Peggy spoke about the importance of building a culture within your organization, a culture of caring and personal attention that leaves an impression with those you work with as well as your customers.
The focus of the event was to engage the audience in the topic of leadership and how it pertains to an individual professionally, personally and within the community. Stefanie Whitby, Senior Director of Alumni Relations, shared that this was “possibly the greatest event that the association has ever hosted”, which is quite a statement considering all of the amazing things that happen within the world of WilmU alumni. This is surely going to be a highly anticipated annual event that you will not want to miss!