Last fall, the Staley School of Leadership Studies celebrated “Leading Change” at its annual alumni and friends gathering, the Spirit of Leadership, which took place September 16. Following the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders hosted on our campus this summer, we celebrated leadership occurring both locally and globally.
Check out this video to see work from the 2016 Civic Leadership Institute for the Mandela Washington Fellowship, and learn about the Staley School’s approach to “Leading Change:”
On this evening, we celebrated the many great programs that take place within the Staley School. Many of the Mandela Fellows joined us via Zoom as we reflected on this summer’s program. We celebrated the leadership displayed by our students to make social change, whether that be here in the community or across the world. Our second year of Snyder Leadership Legacy Fellows were recognized for their work and commitment to becoming lifelong leaders. A highlight was given to Cats for Inclusion for their civic leadership upon campus this semester.
Returning alumni were encouraged to continue their relationship with the Staley School through Wildcats Leadership for Life. The program now has a partnership with the Kansas Leadership Center, which gives members an opportunity to continue to grow their leadership skills in their professional lives.
The featured recognition of the evening went to the recipients of the Michael C. Holen Leader-in-Residence Award, Shante J. Moore and Silvia Diaz de Moore. Named in honor of former Dean Holen, this award recognizes outstanding individuals who are exercising leadership in a range of organizational, professional and civic settings.
Shante currently serves as the Deputy Director in the Office of Aviation Negotiations (EB/TRA/AN), where he is responsible for negotiating Open Skies agreements and other civil aviation agreements. Prior to serving in this role, he served as Deputy Counselor for the Development/Economic Section in the U.S. Mission to the Organization American States. Shante has also served five consecutive overseas tours as an economic-coned officer. He received his undergraduate degree in political science from Kansas State University and his graduate degree from Georgetown University’s Master of Science in Foreign Service Program. Shante is a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Truman Scholar, Fullbright Scholar, and a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow.
Silvia is from Kamba Kua, an Afro-Paraguayan community, and is a naturalized U.S. citizen. She boasts over 15 years of pro-bono experience and volunteer service in supporting non-profit organization and community focused on the visibility and human rights of people of African descent, women and children in Paraguay and throughout Latin America. Silvia currently serves as Executive Director of DC Afro Latino Caucus in Washington, D.C. and the international representative of a Paraguayan non-profit called the Traditional Group of Saint Balthazar of Kamba Cua.
Staley School student program coordinators, Anahi Acre-Gross and Ronnie Sullivan, had the opportunity to welcome the Moores to K-State in their time here. “The Moores have served as a shining example of the concepts the Staley School of Leadership Studies seeks to instill in its students,” Ronnie shared, “Knowing Silvia’s determination to challenge the larger systems that oppress her community, and Shante’s desire to continue building the capacity of marginalized communities, I valued each moment spent in their presence. This year’s leaders-in-residence brought a refreshing perspective to our campus as they portrayed how their leadership has enabled progress to be made on social issues.”
View more photos from the event on our Facebook page!