The Montgomery Leadership Program at Mississippi State University is a program where students are encouraged to take the role of leadership to the highest heights. The program urges students to think, recognize, and implement ways to improve the Starkville community and MSU’s campus. 
As a member of the three-semester-long program, students are required to do a capstone project to recognize completion. Senior Biological Sciences major Shawanda Brooks and Senior Communications major Aaliyah Gaston rallied together and hosted a leadership conference. 
The conference was open to young women ranging from high school to college. Even thought they never attended any type of conference like this  themselves, Brooks and Gaston were eager to lead one on MSU’s campwwus.
“Aaliyah and I both were fortunate enough to have grown up with mentors and we wanted to take everything that our mentors instilled in us and see it unfold and manifest in these young women,” Brooks said.
The event was at 9 a.m. on April 22 and once all of the girls were registered and accounted for, Regina Hyatt, vice president of Student Affairs, engaged the attendees in a “cool cap” activity. 
The activity urged the girls to set aside all of their preconceived notions of popularity and acceptance and indulge in the day with an open mind. 
The MSU’s Road Runners also assisted in the conference by putting the girls into groups for a campus tour. 
 
Three high school girls who traveled from Holmes county to attend the conference per recommendation of their school counselor, commented on their expectations of the event. Justice Grisby, Jemelya Hudson and Marsha Powell are a part of an organization called PEARLS or Purity, Empathy, Awareness, Respect and Scholarship. 
“I think I speak for all of the girls here when I say this event is a very important one for us and I hope we leave here today with a boost in our self-esteems and to always walk in confidence, said Grisby, the president of PEARLS.
Cooordinator, Gaston said she and Brooks know what girls experience and after putting their heads together, they knew the conference would be a great idea.
“My hope for today is that the girls gain confidence and realize that they can do anything that they put their minds to as long as they continue to stay focused, plan wisely and stay on a straight path,” Gaston said.
The girls who attended broke off into groups to be taught and encouraged by leaders who spoke on topics ranging from confidence building, drug awareness, how to not fit in and leadership led by former Student Association President, Roxanne Raven. 
As she prepared to speak to her designated group of girls, Raven commented on her role in the day’s event. 
“I am looking forward to talking to these young women about how crucial it is to become a leader,’ Raven said, ‘I want to encourage them to ask questions, become involved and become the best leaders that they can be.”
Among the leaders who spoke was Lateshia Butler, compliance specialist from the Office of Compliance and Integrity. Butler enlightened the girls on the importance of having confidence and how to always use their resources for positivity.
After encouraging the girls to approach everyone they contact with love as well as being comfortable in the skin they are in, Butler opened the floor for discussion of how social media plays a part in the boost or decline of confidence.
“I think social media is a good thing when used correctly, such as interacting with others and networking,” Butler said. Butler ended her session by reminding everyone that growth is positive and even when one looks back at pictures from the past, seeing how much they changed, one can see a reflection of where they have been.
“Stick to your pace and go at the beat of your own drums because only you know what places you want to go and what it takes to get there, so never look at others in comparison.” Butler said.