Vanderbilt hosted its second annual Live Learn Lead Symposium on Feb. 28 at the Carmichael College Conference Center. Approximately 100 students and faculty members were in attendance at the event, which discussed resilience in leadership with keynote speaker General (Retired) Paul Nakasone, inaugural director of the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security.
The symposium was spearheaded by the student cohort of the Live Learn Lead Academy, a program which aims to foster leadership and strengthen cultural intelligence by encouraging self-reflection and campus involvement. Senior Shanay Desai shared his experience as an inaugural cohort member of the academy.
“The Live Learn Lead Academy is a unique, immersive program designed to cultivate leadership skills through hands-on experiences both within our Vanderbilt community and within our broader national community,” Desai said.
The symposium began with opening remarks from Assistant Provost for Academic Support and Community Engagement Jill Stratton, who also serves as the director for the Live Learn Lead Academy.
“This past year, it’s really been a privilege to collaborate with the 13 Vanderbilt students who make up our inaugural cohort,” Stratton said. “Today’s symposium reflects the hard work and the commitment of these student leaders.”
Chancellor Daniel Diermeier then thanked the organizers and attendees for their commitment to leadership development. He also gave advice on how to lead during difficult situations.
“[In times of crises], you know so little about how the world is going to develop,” Diermeier said. “Go back to your core values — to your purpose — and reassure people this is what we’re all about.”
In his keynote address, Nakasone shared the qualities he believes make a good leader, reflecting back on his own career journey.
“As I was reflecting back on my life’s work, what really stuck with me was this idea of being able to improve your organization. Great leaders do that,” Nakasone said. “They give vision, feedback [and] an understanding in terms of where you are at, and then they’ll allow you to make sure you’re on this journey to not only improve yourself, but to be able to improve the organization.”
Throughout his address, Nakasone emphasized his belief in the importance of effective communication and emotional intelligence in leadership. He also said he sees leadership development as a lifelong process.
“The best leaders are continuing to develop themselves every single day,” Nakasone said.
After his keynote address, Nakasone was joined by junior Emma Mann, a member of the Live Learn Lead inaugural cohort, for a fireside chat about Nakasone’s leadership, the value of servant leadership, the importance of mentors and the qualities of effective leadership.
“The idea of service resonates within me. It’s more than just military service — it’s service to broader objectives and goals,” Nakasone said.
Mann emphasized the process of deciding what questions to ask Nakasone was very collaborative.
“We were really thinking about what he could [discuss] that would speak to a diverse range of students,” Mann said.
The discussion was followed by two panel sessions. One focused on the methods of cultivating strong dynamic teams, and the other dove into ways of thriving as a leader in challenging times. The symposium concluded with a networking reception.
Reflecting on the day’s events, Stratton shared her appreciation for the student leaders whom she credited for the success of the symposium. She also shared her thoughts about what the future holds for the symposium and the academy as a whole.
“For the future of this, I’d like to continue [having] ongoing support. I’d like to engage more alumni and people in Nashville and build on our successes,” Stratton said.
Similarly, Mann expressed gratitude for the program and its promotion of collaboration.
“I see us making some changes based on the feedback we’ve received from students in the academy this year and implementing those changes to get a wider range of students,” Mann said.
