The Mercer University School of Medicine will host its First Annual Service Leadership Conference Jan. 30 at the Medical School Auditorium.
A Medical School Distinction in Service to the Community (DISC) Program sponsored event, the conference will display inventive service projects created by medical students.
“Having a platform where students can come together and share service experiences promotes new partnerships and growth of currently operating projects,” said Kristen Kettlehut in an email, a third year medical student and one of the hosts and organizers for the conference this year.
Kettlehut is joined by fellow host and organizer Channing Bowers, who is a second year Medical School student at Mercer.
Both Kettlehut and Bowers have been DISC members since they started medical school. They have decided to coordinate the conference in addition to their own service projects.
“Because we’re inviting members for the Macon community at large, I’m looking forward to (potential) project growth! Ideally, the exposure and publicity of these various service efforts will lead to their implementation elsewhere,” Bowers said in an email.
In addition to being sponsored by DISC, a program established for students to participate in learning through creating partnerships in the community, the conference is a part of Mercer’s Center for Community Engagement campus association.
“It’s easy to think that as a student, you may not have much to offer… that after you graduate, you’ll be better equipped to help. But this conference completely subverts that view…” Bowers said.
There will be poster presentations and a series of TEDx style talks by the students.
The conference is at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 30 and is free and available for students, faculty and staff to attend.
Mercer to Host Service Leadership Conference
