Wichita State University’s 12th Annual Student Ambassador Society (SAS) Leadership Conference attracted 172 Kansas high school students March 11 at the Marcus Welcome Center. This year’s conference was themed “Lead Angry,” playing on the motto of the WSU Men’s Basketball team, “Play Angry.”

The annual conference featured Miss America 2014, Nina Davuluri, who was one of 14,000 to compete for the Miss America title and its $50,000 scholarship. The twice-consecutive Miss New York and first Indian-American Miss America used her platform, “Celebrating Diversity through Cultural Competency,” to encourage the student leaders to enhance their leadership skills and experience.

The event featured numerous interactive seminars and breakout sessions, including topics such as body language, building character from the inside and effective communication.

“The breakout sessions really seemed designed to help me prepare for a successful future,” said Sara Shaban, a junior from Hutchinson High School. “I particularly enjoyed the body language session — about how to communicate confidently and effectively.”

The SAS Leadership Conference originated in 2003 by Christine Schneikart-Luebbe, associate vice president for Student Engagement and dean of students.

“The conference was created in an effort to inspire young leaders across the state of Kansas,” said Schneikart-Luebbe, “so that they, in turn, could go back to their respective high schools and make their mark.”

SAS is composed of WSU student volunteers who help the Office of Admissions recruit future Shockers. Graduates of this group have gone on to be successful lawyers, educators, doctors, engineers, performers, health care practitioners and business professionals who maintain their dedication and loyalty to Wichita State and the Wichita community.

Sharing presenting duties for the leadership conference were Dotty Harpool, W. Frank Barton School of Business lecturer and Student Community Initiatives director, Steve Dickie, character coach for WSU Men’s Basketball and Betty Schrader, professional corporate trainer for Beechcraft.