The Forbes Under 30 Summit is an immersive experience for the world’s top young leaders and creators. When presented with the opportunity to attend, senior Leah Hopkins knew it was where she wanted to be.
Leah, a graphic design major from Battle Creek, has embraced UOlivet’s philosophy of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to exceed expectations. As a transfer student, she didn’t just sit back and watch opportunities pass by. Leah took control of her college experience, preparing herself for life after UOlivet. She did this by becoming a team captain on the tennis team, majoring in graphic design, and taking on roles in Art Alliance, where she showcased her artwork annually and helped fundraise for those in need. So, when Christina Venditti, manager of audience and community marketing at Forbes, reached out to her on LinkedIn with an opportunity, Leah couldn’t say no.
“I was super excited to learn more about Forbes and what I could gain from attending the Under 30 Summit. It felt like one of those too-good-to-be-true moments when I found out I was going. I could hardly believe it,” Leah said. “It was way outside my comfort zone, traveling to Cincinnati and spending four days with hundreds of strangers, but I knew this would be a huge resume booster as I prepare to graduate from UOlivet.”
Lessons Learned from Leaders
The Summit was a tremendous learning experience. Leah soaked in all of the advice from leaders across various public and private industries, including Big Sean, Metro Boomin, Beatrice Dixon, Joe Buck, and many others. For Leah, the most impactful lessons learned included:
- Know what you want and set boundaries to control what’s yours.
- Consciously choose the kind of leader you want to be.
- Be both decisive and compassionate simultaneously.
- Be open about coping with stressors young professionals face, like hustle culture, burnout, people-pleasing and anxiety and depression.
- Don’t dwell on regrets. Learn from mistakes and move forward.
Attending the Summit was just the beginning for Leah. “I intend to apply my key takeaways about leadership to my current and future workplaces,” she said confidently. “It’s super important that we all know how we can lead effectively and make a positive impact within the workplace and our communities. Hearing from some of the more reserved, introverted speakers at the Under 30 Summit inspires me to continually improve how I can make myself as valuable an asset as possible to my teams, despite struggling to be social and put myself out there.”
Everything she has learned at the conference and at UOlivet is helping Leah achieve her dream of being a graphic designer. “In addition to participating in as many internships and work experiences as possible, another way that I have prepared myself for a successful career is to give 100% in my classes and regularly request feedback on my designs so I can continually grow and produce the best possible product for any given situation. Additionally, I’ve been maintaining connections with people I have worked with as well as people I would like to work with to stay in touch, share ideas, and support each other’s personal and professional goals,” said Leah.
Seek Out Opportunities to Grow
Leah says to students who are presented with an unexpected learning opportunity, “I would 100% encourage any student to attend a similar conference or event. Regardless of the overall experience at the event, there are lessons to be learned from interacting with business professionals in this sort of setting, and it’s interesting to observe what a company highlights and prioritizes when it puts on any event like this one.”
Leah’s also quick to remind students to take the initiative and seek out opportunities by researching businesses that relate to some of their career interests and passions to see what kinds of events they offer. Lastly, Leah is a firm believer in maintaining an active profile on LinkedIn to help recruiters recognize potential and experience as well.
Leah’s journey from a small college campus to the Forbes Under 30 Summit is an inspiring example of what’s possible when ambition meets opportunity. She’s embraced every chance to learn, stepped outside your comfort zone, and built connections that matter.
Learn more about The University of Olivet by contacting the Office of Admission at Admissions@UOlivet.edu or 269-749-7635.