DRIVEN: Inaugural Leadership Workshop to Empower Future Student Leaders

On Sunday, April 6, King’s College hosted the inaugural DRIVEN Leadership Workshop, a student leadership conference created to prepare and empower student leaders on campus and beyond. Organized by the Diversity and Inclusion Student Committee and supported by Student Affairs, the event brought together students from across the College for a day of collaboration, purpose, and transformation.

The DRIVEN acronym—Diversity, Resilience, Impact, Vocation, Excellence, and Networking—reflects the workshop's core values. Through impactful speakers, breakout sessions, and networking, students were challenged to self-reflect, engage, and learn to lead meaningfully.

The conference began with key speaker, Justin Brown, a distinguished author, speaker, and educator with over 15 years of experience in education. As a dynamic leader and trainer, Justin brings strong creative, analytical, and communication skills to his work, fostering inclusive environments and enhancing student engagement.

Justin earned his bachelor’s degree in public relations from Slippery Rock University, where he founded the Diversity Awareness Program LLC (DAP), a program aimed at promoting unity across institutions. He continued to develop DAP while pursuing his master’s in student affairs at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Justin went on to work in student affairs at West Chester University for over a decade and now serves as the director of student relations and school climate at Downingtown Area School District. As a Chester County native, Justin’s mission is to empower students to overcome challenges, achieve their goals, and make meaningful contributions to their communities.

Justin Brown’s session, “Embracing Differences with Dignity,” set a positive tone for the DRIVEN Leadership Workshop. The session explored how students can navigate conflict with empathy and lead by example in diverse environments. Justin challenged attendees to reflect on their communication styles and recognize the power of respectful dialogue, even in moments of disagreement. Justin kept the crowd engaged and laughing while teaching practical tools for building trust, fostering collaboration, and embracing differing perspectives.

Following Justin's session, he shared what he hopes students will gain from his presentation:

"I hope students gain self-confidence. They're not trying to get where they need to be, they're already where they need to be. Students often try to obtain certain skills they think they don't have. But everyone has these skills, it's a matter of refining, sharpening, and making those skills better."

A diverse mix of faculty, staff, alumni, and student leaders led each following session, creating a collaborative space while covering topics such as self-care, financial literacy, career planning, navigating life after college, and the power of bystander intervention.

Student and residence assistant, Rhiannon Borchert '25, shared her perspective on the event:

"The presentations helped to prepare me for my post-grad career. I particularly enjoyed the presentation by the keynote speaker, Justin Brown, because not only did it help me reframe how I tend to respond to certain situations, but it was incredibly beneficial when I had the opportunity to apply what I learned with my residents."

Many presenters shared their personal experiences, such as the event’s key closing speaker, Joseph Barcia. Barcia, a personal trainer, assistant baseball coach, and brain cancer survivor, shared his journey of faith, resilience, and healing— leaving the audience inspired and with a sense of hope.

The DRIVEN Leadership Workshop was a success, leaving students with a revived sense of purpose and leadership skills. The event effectively communicated that with diversity, resilience, impact, vocation, excellence, and networking, students can create a meaningful path to success.