Leading the Pride: Your Blueprint to Org Success

Managing an organization’s finances is key to running successful programs and events. This session will walk you through the basics of student org budgeting, including how to plan ahead, track spending, and make the most of your allocated funds. Perfect for new officers, recently formed organizations, or anyone looking to sharpen their financial management skills, this session will give you practical tools to build confidence in handling your organization’s budget.

New officer in your organization? Vet on your team, but could use a refresher on the functionality of Monarch Groups? This session will cover the basics of Monarch Groups to help you get ready for the academic year ahead.

Meaningful connections are the foundation of strong, thriving student organizations. This session will explore practical strategies for building impactful relationships with members, prospective members, and fellow E-board leaders. You'll learn how intentional connections can strengthen organizational culture, improve member retention, and foster stronger E-board collaboration. This session will be hosted by Tony Idowu, Ousseynou Camara, and Josh Bamgbowu from The SUMMIT.

Conference travel can provide valuable opportunities for student organizations to build connections, gain exposure within their fields, and advance your professional goals. This session will explore the logistics of planning conference travel, including building a travel team and preparing members for a successful experience. Participants will also learn practical strategies for hosting their own conference, from initial planning to execution. Officers will leave with the tools and confidence to make conference travel and hosting more accessible for your organization. This session will be hosted by Matthew Juarez from Model UN.

Understanding how members experience your organization and the campus community is essential to creating a stronger Monarch experience This session will introduce officers to organizational climate surveys as a tool for gathering feedback, identifying areas of success, and recognizing opportunities for improvement. Participants will explore lessons learned from real climate surveys and learn how to create and implement surveys that provide meaningful, actionable insights for their organization. This session will be facilitated by Jacob Gallaher and Aliyah Downing with the Ocean and Earth Sciences Graduate Student Organization.

Turning great ideas into high impact programs requires intentional planning, strong leadership, and an engaged team. This session will explore practical strategies for successful event planning, member engagement, collaboration, and sustainable organizational growth, drawing from the ODU NAACP chapter’s experiences and community partnerships. Using a college tour for at risk youth as a case study, participants will learn how thoughtful programming can strengthen an organization’s impact and create a legacy on campus and in the community. This session will be facilitated by Devyne Adejobi with NAACP.

This interactive session will introduce officers to engaging team builders and icebreakers they can use during E-board meetings, general body meetings, and organizational programs. Participants will experience a variety of activities designed to strengthen relationships, encourage participation, and create a welcoming organizational culture. Officers will leave with practical activities they can take back to their organizations and use throughout the year.

Creating a welcoming organization starts with understanding, respect, and celebrating the diverse experiences of your members. In partnership with the Office of Intercultural Relations, this session will dive into fostering belonging, encouraging meaningful dialogue, and building a more inclusive organizational community.

Successful fundraising starts with a strong strategy, a clear purpose, and creative ways to engage your community. Hosted by Chartway, this session will introduce student leaders to practical fundraising strategies they can use to generate support, engage members, and advance their organization’s goals.

Enjoy lunch while connecting with key campus partners that support student organizations. Hear quick highlights from each team and take time to ask questions.