POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — Four College of the Ozarks students attended the US Naval Academy’s Leadership Conference in Annapolis, Maryland, from Jan. 22-25. This conference is designed to educate military and civilian men and women on leadership principles that are applicable to military, business, and academic settings. The theme of this year’s conference was “Returning with Honor,” as this year marks 50 years since Vietnam POWs returned to the United States.

“We are so grateful we were invited to participate in the leadership conference,” said Chassidy Brittain, director of patriotic activities. “The naval academy is steeped in history and provides excellent leadership resources and experiences for our students.”

The four students who attended were as follows: Matthew Isherwood, senior nursing student and Missouri National Guard (MOARNG) senior officer candidate; Ian (Josh) Hallam, junior engineering major and MOARNG officer candidate; Esther Schieffer, junior piano major and MOARNG officer candidate; and Emily Phillips, senior elementary education major. Sallie Hitchcock, administrative assistant to the dean of the College, acted as the chaperone on this trip.

While not all students attending had direct connections to the military, all students in attendance still found important truths they could bring to their future career. Phillips said the conference reminded her of the importance of sacrifice and commitment in a leadership role. This allowed her to expand her knowledge on leadership and to see how leadership can be taken into areas beyond the military and business worlds.

“I was also heavily impacted by hearing a variety of views on leadership,” Phillips said. “Although their perspectives differed from mine, hearing their thoughts made me think of how God creates the standard of good leadership. His word is the ultimate leadership handbook. As a follower of Christ, I must lead others in a way that brings glory to the name of Jesus.”