By Kevin McCall During the Spring 2022 semester, a record seven Marist College students participated in the virtual Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program sponsored by Resorts World Casino New York City. Of all the institutions who had students in the program, Marist College had the highest number of participants with seven. In this series of blog posts, some of the Marist students will speak about their leadership experiences, key learnings in the program, and plans to become future leaders. In this post you will hear from Kayla Dixon ’22, an Communications major with concentrations in Advertising and Public Relations. As she prepares to graduate this weekend Kayla Dixon’s impact on the Marist College community can be felt in many areas. For the past year she has served as Senior Legacy Committee Co-Chair, helping the Marist Advancement Office raise money for the Class of 2022. Dixon said this leadership role in particular has taught her how to collaborate on initiatives and make sure everyone on her team is on the same page. “I would be a bad leader if I just said ‘this is the plan, we’re going with my idea, and I’ll figure it out’,” Dixon said. “Delegating tasks and being a good listener are important characteristics of a strong leader.” Dixon does not take any of her responsibilities lightly and always goes the extra mile. She was a Resident Advisor (RA) for two and a half years, cultivating events for students who lived on her floor and managing conflicts within her residence hall. Dixon worked in Leo Hall, an dormitory of all first-year students, as well as Midrise Hall and Lower Fulton during her tenure. When students arrived on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic she had to learn to pivot quickly to check in with her residents. Especially during campus pauses when in person interactions were extremely limited. “Sometimes things don’t go according to plan,” Dixon said. “(Prior to the pandemic) I was very involved with my residents by knocking on their door and engaging with them. But then I still did little things to make them feel special like slide notes under their doors to ask them how they were feeling.” This kind of empathy and empowerment was prominent to Dixon as she interacted with speakers throughout each of the Gumbo Coalition sessions. “This program enhances leadership and brings people of color together,” Dixon said. “Sometimes our voices can get minimized and it’s important for us to know that we can achieve anything we put our mind to.” To augment and unite the ideas of students of color at Marist College Dixon has served multiple positions on the board of the Black Student Union. She was most active in the organization in Fall 2020 when she helped organize and execute a peaceful protest on campus to bring attention to the Black Lives Matter Movement. She helped propose diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to senior leadership in Marist’s Student Affairs office. These discussions included implementation of a safe space for people of color and possible courses on race and ethnicity that would be a requirement for graduation from Marist College. Dixon said the Center for Career Services team was instrumental in providing her with professional development experiences that occurred off campus. In her sophomore year, for example, Dixon was part of a group of Marist students that participated in the 2019 Publicis Media Multicultural Talent Pipeline Forum in Atlanta, Georgia. The career forum was an educational immersion into the media, marketing and advertising businesses designed for college students from underrepresented backgrounds. Similar to the Gumbo Coalition program, Publicis Media MCTP showed Dixon how to network with other professionals in her desired field. She also connected with Marist College alumni who work in advertising and public relations during Road to the Workplace trips to ViacomCBS and IPG Mediabrands. Dixon’s continuous efforts to build relationships have opened up doors to multiple internship opportunities. This summer she will intern with Vayner Media, an advertising and marketing agency with a clientele that includes TikTok, UNICEF, and PepsiCo. Her long-term career goals include working full time at a public relations firm and possibly starting her own firm. “I always enjoyed watching commercials and the creative aspect of the advertising,” Dixon said. “Now I know that I’m better at public relations because of the outreach that goes with it. Getting to know people and the public’s opinion is more my niche.” About the Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program: The Gumbo Coalition University Mentorship Program is a 12-week virtual mentorship program sponsored by Resorts World Casino New York City. The program brings students face to face with recognized leaders across business, media, and the non-profit world. Over the course of the program, students learn the attributes of a transformative leader, how to build consensus, and how to make decisions under pressure through immersive discussions and exercises. Upon completion of the program students receive a $500 scholarship. The program is inspired by renowned civic leader Marc Morial, President & CEO of the National Urban League, and the leadership lessons from his first book, The Gumbo Coalition: 10 Leadership Lessons that Help You Inspire, Unite, and Achieve.
1 Comment
5/19/2022 04:50:29 pm
Wonderful story of achievement from a promising leader in a younger generation.
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