Webster Students From Around the World Travel to The Netherlands for the Global Student Leadership Summit

This week, 28 undergraduate student leaders from throughout Webster’s worldwide network will come together at Webster Leiden for the Global Student Leadership Summit (GSLS). The GSLS is a high impact learning experience for Webster University student leaders to gain knowledge, skills, and to create positive change in a global environment. The GSLS partners with the Gleich Honors College to provide this one-of-a-kind experience.

Students were selected to participate in the summit because of their strong leadership potential and the ability to work collaboratively across differences. By developing relationships with peers from throughout Webster’s global network, participants will gain a better understanding of the impact student involvement has on their local campus and Webster University worldwide.   

Thanks to the generosity of alumnus Alan Elliott Merschen (MA, ‘82) this program is being fully funded for all students who are selected to participate.   

As a result of attending the 2023 Summit, student leaders will return to their home campus prepared to work collaboratively with their fellow students to increase the level of leadership involvement and enhance connections among students. The GSLS is a transformational experience that further develops each student’s sense of mission and purpose.  

The GSLS focuses on four key outcomes: 
 
Leadership  

• Recognize individual leadership style and personal role in group dynamics 
• Identify methods to create positive change in a global environment 

Communication  

• Construct a clear and persuasive presentation for a target audience 
• Demonstrate strong skills in listening with an open mind and seeking first to understand, rather than trying to convince others of your viewpoints 

Intercultural Competence  

• Interact effectively across cultures by showing an informed sensitivity and respect for personal and cultural differences 
• Apply a pluralistic lens in leadership and community development  

Social Responsibility 

• Develop meaningful peer relationships to cultivate strategic collaboration within Webster’s global network 
• Demonstrate understanding of the impact student involvement has on students and Webster University 

Students will hear from various speakers, meet in mixed campus groups, and have opportunities to present their ideas orally. The final aspect of the GSLS is the implementation of a project each campus group has brainstormed to improve student life at their home campus. These plans will be refined and presented during the duration of the GSLS. 
  
Students from the Accra, Athens, Geneva, Leiden, Tashkent, Tblisi, Vienna and Webster Groves campuses will be in attendance. 
  
These student leaders will represent each campus:

Accra, Ghana Campus: 
Afriyie-Depay Adwoa
Salma Hassan
Tawadudu Sulemana
 
Athens, Greece Campus: 
Ejna Mujezin 
Ivy Blaise Palope 
  
Geneva, Switzerland Campus: 
Lea Aiche 
Guilio Giannicchi 
Warona Mouyeme 
Anhelina Tkachenko 
  
Leiden, The Netherlands Campus: 
Yasamin Bakhtiari 
Ari Binte Haszlan 
Nodirjon Rakhimov 
Mohammadjavad Sadatrezai 
Levia Kimberly Zana Udo 
  
Tashkent, Uzbekistan Campus: 
Imona Kabirova 
Azaliya Khakimova 
Sanam Musakova 
 
Tbilisi, Georgia Campus: 
Tinatin Grdzelishvili 
Konstantin Kharchilava 
   
Vienna, Austria Campus: 
Andela Bodroza 
Tobias Gerber 
Mamiza Mucanheia 
Ani Yeghoyan 
  
Webster Groves, USA Campus: 
Abigail Banholzer 
Lucy Banion 
Naima Dawid 
Donna Hall 
Tracy Vilsaint 
  
Additional information about the Global Student Leadership Summit can be found here.   
 
The public is invited to view the project presentations given at the end of the week by GSLS participants. The presentations will be streamed live on Friday, May 26 (2:15 a.m. CST, 9:15 a.m. Leiden) on Zoom. A recording of the presentations will be available following the livestream.