Panetta Leadership Seminar to feature John Kelly
SEASIDE >> Former White House Chief of Staff General John Kelly and former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper will be among the featured presenters at this week's annual Panetta Institute Leadership Seminar, which brings together student leaders from many California universities.
Now in its 23rd year, the seminar focuses on teaching leadership principles, strategies and practices to help students become more effective leaders and to encourage them to pursue lives of public service. The class includes student body officers from the California State University campuses and one private university.
The seminar has traditionally brought the students to the Panetta Institute at CSU Monterey Bay to listen to presentations from experts and leaders in a variety of fields. Because of COVID-19 safety concerns, however, the seminar will once again be held virtually this year.
“Our recent national poll of college students found that students were deeply concerned about the direction the country is heading in,” said Institute Chairman Leon Panetta in a press release. “They are concerned about the economy and their own financial future, but most of all they are deeply frustrated by what they perceive as a lack of action and a failure to lead by those in office. This unique student program exposes these young people to leaders from many different backgrounds and experiences. The goal is for the students to study from the lessons these individuals have learned so they can shape their frustration into action and engagement.”
Among the presentations students will hear this week:
• John Kelly will talk about leadership in the executive branch.
• Turning to the conflict in Ukraine and the global rise of autocracy, Mark Esper will address leadership when democracies are under attack.
• Former National President and CEO of the NAACP Ben Jealous will address approaches to racism in American society.
• Award-winning journalists Dan Balz and Carla Marinucci will speak on journalism's place in civic leadership.
• Mel Mason, executive director of The Village Project, and Regina Mason, president of the Monterey Bay Chapter of the NAACP, will speak on developing leadership beginning with grassroots.
• Former Super Bowl champion, San Francisco 49er and current principal at Palma School, Chris Dalman; and former Philadelphia Eagle and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs, Ron Johnson will speak on leadership in sports.
• Former presidential advisor David Gergen will discuss leadership in education and politics and the importance of life-long learning skills.
• President of the Naval Postgraduate School Ann Rondeau will speak on leadership in the military.
Students will also participate in a special exercise on the state's budget and attend sessions on cyber security and leadership in the justice system.
The students will be expected to complete further course work, written reports and make presentations before receiving three units of academic credit and a Certificate of Completion
issued by the Panetta Institute.
Panetta Institute's CEO and President, Sylvia Panetta stated, “Through this program, we teach students leaders that leadership must be an essential part of their careers and their responsibilities as participants in our democracy.”