2012 Leadership Seminars - "You're the App for That"

All Leadership Seminars will begin on Friday, with Registration and Sigma Alpha Chapter Sharing Lunch (NEW!) beginning at 12pm. The opening session begins at 1:30 pm. Saturday will start at 8:00 am with Chapter Best Practices and end at 5:30 pm. On Saturday, we will also have an optional Sigma Alpha & AGR Dinner (NEW!). It would be best to plan departures for Sunday morning, which will give you additional time to visit and meet sisters from other chapters.

Please contact Lisa Campion if you have any questions or suggestions for the 2012 Leadership Seminars.

Registration Costs

$130 EARLY: Early registration through January 31^st, 2012 will be $130

$155 REGULAR: Registration after January 31^st, 2012 will be $155

You may transfer registration fees among sisters, so pay early! The cancellation deadline to get a refund is two weeks before the date of each seminar. To cancel or change your registration, please call the AGR Home Office at 816-891-9200.

Hotel Reservations

Each chapter should make their own hotel reservation(s). Reservations must be made with hotels by the set cut-off date to insure you get a room at the AGR/SA rate. Rooms are available only until the block sells out or the cut-off date. Please contact the AGR Home Office at 816-891-9200 if the block sells out.

Leadership Seminar Discussion Board & Room Sharing

If you have any questions about Leadership Seminar or would like to share a room with another sister, please visit the Leadership Forum.

Who Should Attend?

Sisters from every Sigma Alpha Chapter, SID Chapter, and Interest Group
Undergraduates – there is no limit on the number of undergraduates who may attend from each chapter so bring as many as you would like
Freshman to seniors as well as officers or non-officers
Chapter Advisors
Alumni Members

Why Should You Attend?

This year, the Leadership Seminar Steering Committee created a “Needs Assessment” to survey employers, academics, collegiate and alumni members in the agricultural industry. From this assessment, the Steering Committee has created an agenda that will provide you with the utmost professional development opportunity to make you ready for a career in agriculture.

New! Meet our Sponsors!

Each of our Leadership Seminars will have representatives from Pioneer and Monsanto attending. There will be opportunities to speak with them anytime from the Chapter Sharing Lunch until the Sigma Alpha Dinner! We've listed below the representatives names and the times they will be attending. Be sure to bring your resumes and check out their internship and job openings!

St. Louis:
- Pioneer Represenative: Tiffany Thornton, Research Associate and Sigma Alpha Alumni, Pioneer Hi-Bred – A DuPont Business, Johnston, Iowa
- Monsanto Representative: Rodd Whitney
Atlanta:
- Pioneer Representative: TBA
- Monsanto Representative: TBA
Denver:
- Pioneer Representative: Cindy Heser, Senior Human Resources Manager, Pioneer Hi-Bred – A DuPont Business, Johnston, Iowa
- Monsanto Representative: Martha A. Smith, Director of State and Local Government Affairs, and Lisa Drake
Pittsburgh:
- Pioneer Representative: Angie Boyce, Talent Acquisition Consultant & Internship Coordinator, Pioneer Hi-Bred – A DuPont Business, Johnston, Iowa
- Monsanto Representative: TBA

New! Recruitment Academy

One member per chapter is invited to attend the Recruitment Academy session facilitated by Josh Wackler, AGR’s Chief Recruitment Officer. The Recruitment Academy will take place throughout the entire Leadership Seminar. This means you will attend this academy instead of the other breakout sessions for both Friday and Saturday. This will be a great resource for your chapter to learn how to increase chapter recruitment on your campus. Please email president@sigmaalpha.org with your chapter's choice and the location. If more availability arises, you will be notified at Leadership Seminar, but please express your interest in attending.

New! Leadership Seminar Offerings

This year, we are implementing a lot of new and exciting changes!

First, we will be hosting a Sigma Alpha Chapter Sharing Lunch on Friday from 12-1pm. Please RSVP by January 31, 2012 to p resident@sigmaalpha.org. This cost is not included in registration so please bring money to attend.
Second, we will be hosting a Sigma Alpha & AGR Social on Friday evening. The exact social activity information for each seminar is on the agenda. This cost is not included in registration so please bring money to attend.
Third, the Sigma Alpha Professional Development Session will be facilitated by Agriculture Advocates on a professional development topic. The session information for each leadership seminar is on the agenda.
Fourth, we will be entertaining you with a Sigma Alpha & AGR Dinner in each location. The dinner information for each seminar is on the agenda. This cost is not included in registration so please bring money to attend.

2012 Agriculture Advocates

During the 2012 Leadership Seminars, Sigma Alpha Sorority will present the following women with the Agriculture Advocate Award. The Agriculture Advocate Awards are presented to honor women who live by the Sigma Alpha objective, and promote agriculture to the next generation of women in agriculture through scholarship, leadership and service. Each Agriculture Advocate will attend Leadership Seminar and facilitate the Sigma Alpha Professional Development Sesson. More information about each Agriculture Advocate and their sessions will be coming.

St. Louis: Dr. Donna Woudenberg, University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lecturer, Alpha Delta Advisor
Atlanta: Dr. Maria Navarro, University of Georgia Associate Professor, Alpha Omicron Advisor
Denver: Martha A. Smith, Director of State and Local Government Affairs, Monsanto Company
Pittsburgh: Angie Boyce, Talent Acquisition Consultant & Internship Coordinator, Pioneer Hi-Bred – A DuPont Business, Johnston, Iowa

Attire

Friday (only) dress will be Business Casual: Meaning dress slacks / khakis and a collared shirt or polo shirts. It will not be acceptable to wear jeans, sweatshirts, t-shirts or caps. Show your Chapter/University Pride by wearing Greek Letters and/or school name and colors!
Saturday dress will be Professional Business Attire: business suit with jacket and nylons

City Tours

If you are interested in touring the city of the Leadership Seminar you attend, we would suggest planning the tour before or after the Leadership Seminar. To receive information on sites to see or events to attend, contact the Convention Visitors Bureau several weeks in advance of the Leadership Seminar and they will send you plenty of information of activities in the area.

Facilitators

Each seminar will features four spectacular AGR and SA alumni facilitators. Click here to read their biographies.

Note: These conferences are put on in cooperation with Alpha Gamma Rho, as such Sigma Alpha does not have control over all aspects of the convention such as dates, location and registration. Items are subject to change and the Alpha Gamma Rho website should be consulted regularly as updates are posted there first.