2024-2025 Letter from the Chair
Howdy,
My name is Jianna Cunningham. It is my pleasure to serve as your Executive Chair for the 2024-2025 Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference (SBSLC).
This is our 36th conference and I am excited to be hosting this exceptional conference for my fourth year!
SBSLC History
In 1989, SBSLC started at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Our students wanted to set an example of what Black Excellence looked like on a campus that needed a visual representation of it. That initial example resulted in 35 years of impact in the Southwestern region. SBSLC has impacted the lives of students and staff at colleges and universities around the United States. The conference provides students with the ability to engage and learn from one another in an environment dedicated to empowering Black/African American students.
Why is SBSLC Important
SBSLC is important because it honors authenticity and the development of student leaders. We believe the conference allows a safe space for students to develop into the best version of themselves. No matter the role you play in the conference, you’re bound to grow through attending our workshops, networking with prestigious companies, and building lifelong connections with your peers.
2024-2025 Theme and Vision
The theme for the 2024-2025 Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference is “Uniting Flames to Spark Achievement.” This experience is designed to ignite the flames of leadership through the building of community. As we carry forward the torch of SBSLC by exhibiting leadership throughout our various endeavors in life, we advocate for “uniting flames” to support and strengthen each other’s pursuit of achievement through meaningful community.
Our vision is “for participants to ignite their flame; and through engaging with others at conference, we hope participants unite to ignite an all-encompassing torch of united flames. As this conference continues to unite torchbearers across the nation, we acknowledge the torch as the legacy of leadership pronounced by SBSLC from the beginning of time. A torch is but a combination of flames, and in the creation of those flames, it all begins with a spark. This year, participants will define their spark by setting a match to their passions, interests, and future aspirations. As student leaders, we all face similar challenges. Through the bonding of like-minded individuals and intimate networking with various industry personnel, participants will be equipped with the tools to create solutions to these challenges. These experiences will allow participants to cultivate their sparks into flames of action and leverage their skills to set their destiny of achievement ablaze.”
Closing
As we raise the torch, I would like to formally invite you to join us for this year’s conference. From personal experience, year after year, SBSLC continues to ignite me; my hope is that everyone has the opportunity to experience its impact soon!
Your destiny of achievement awaits,
Jianna Cunningham ‘25
‘24-’25 Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference Executive Chair
Education Human Resource Development Major, Business Minor
