More than 270 influential students will converge on Griffith University during this week’s mid-semester break for a powerful leadership conference.

The Griffith University Gold Coast campus will host a student leadership conference on Tuesday October 1, for students from across the Griffith community and many fields of study.

These inspirational student leaders make it their aim to create change through volunteering, mentoring, representation, organisation and community action both within Griffith and the broader community.

The conference theme for 2013 is “Leading today for tomorrow” and it provides an opportunity for delegates to interact with like-minded students, be exposed to new ideas from a selection of 39 presentations and workshops and celebrate the work that Griffith student leaders are already achieving.

Many Griffith students are already participating as leaders in a vast variety of roles both within Griffith and the broader community. Leadership takes many forms. Students need not wait until graduation in order to become leaders either in their own discipline areas or within the community.

Sanesie Dukuly, President of the Griffith University Refugee Students Association (GURSA) says he is looking forward to the opportunity of speaking to such a large audience of students and aspiring leaders.

“This is by far the biggest audience I have ever presented for,” he said.

“I will be discussing the challenges faced by refugees when they arrive in Australia and as students arriving at university for the first time.”

“I will share some of my own personal experiences, what drove me to establish the Refugee Students Association, the support we provide for students and how we engage with the university.”

The Student Leadership Conference – ‘Leading today for tomorrow’ is hosted by the Student Success Unit at Griffith.

Students presenting at the conference will speak on a variety of initiatives and experiences including the Surgical Interest Association (Surgia), Refugee-Background Students Association (GURSA), Criminology Student Society and Healthy Start (refugee support program)

Students will also enjoy a picnic in the sun with giant games or show off their creative talents in juggling and ukulele workshops.