FUTURE LEADERS

Student Outreach Program

A feature unique to The National Summit was its Student Outreach Program which engaged high school and college students in the important discussions taking place at The National Summit. The participation of these future leaders was very important to the aggregation of the overall audience voice. The students were given an opportunity to participate in a variety of activities from online discussions to private receptions with speakers.

Detroit Economic Club

One of the cornerstones of the Detroit Economic Club (DEC) is its Student Outreach Program.  This program provides a unique opportunity for high school and college students to engage in the important issues of our times.  The students have the opportunity to meet with the guest speaker at a brief, student-only gathering to participate in a Q & A session prior to the speaking engagement.  Each year over 1500 students attend DEC meetings due to the generosity of corporate sponsors and individual members.

Student participation at The National Summit consisted of the following components:

• General Sessions:
  General sessions featured a panel of nationally recognized, cross-industry business, government, academic and other leaders who discussed Technology, Energy, Environment and Manufacturing in the context of a global economy.
• Town Hall of Town Halls:
  Concurrent, interactive sessions focused on one of the four key issues to improve American competitiveness.
• Innovation Expo:
  The Innovation Expo gave organizations and individuals the opportunity to showcase innovative ideas, projects and technologies. Participants in The National Summit were encouraged to spend their time between Town Hall sessions exploring the Innovation Expo.
• Student Reception:
  A private Q & A reception between students and speakers.  A photo opportunity with the students and speakers took place at the conclusion of this reception.
• Microsoft Technology Trends:
  A career event that encouraged students to consider careers in technology and the value of technical skills to any future career plans. It also provided students with a better understanding of the critical role technology plays in business and the value placed on recruiting individuals with technology fluency throughout the organization.
• eCommunity:
  Private web portal that allowed participants to gain knowledge of the four key issues, see different points of view and express their own opinions – before, during and after The National Summit.
• Social Media:
  Conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter made connections nationwide with people interested in Technology, Energy, Environment and Manufacturing. During The National Summit, participants had up-to-the-minute updates and conversed with other attendees on Twitter and Facebook!

The UnSummit was an invite-only meeting held on Sunday, June 14 at the Marriott Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI. Next generation leaders from a variety of industries gathered to discuss the four disciplines being addressed at The National Summit – Technology, Energy, Environment and Manufacturing. Their conclusions were shared with the professional service organizations coordinating the discussion at The National Summit and to become a part of the larger conversation. For more information, please join the UnSummit group on Facebook.

View the UnReport, June 14, 2009