GOLDSBORO, N.C. – Wayne Community College recently hosted a meeting for students of all backgrounds to learn about global leadership.

The North Carolina Association of International Educators (NCAIE) Global Leadership and International Engagement Student Conference connects both undergraduate and graduate students who are passionate about working across cultures and further developing a global mindset. The conference helps them gain knowledge and build relationships so they can further engage in global leadership.

Several members of WCC’s Scholars of Global Distinction attended the conference. As Global Scholars, these students learn to work effectively across international contexts and industries through globally intensive courses and activities.

The 2025 conference theme was “Ignite the Change: Lead Local, Impact Global.”

The conference began with story circles, where students and instructors engaged in dialogue to share their perspectives on different themes. The participants, many of whom were international students, connected with those in their group by learning more about their unique stories.

Breakout sessions featuring interactive presentations were held throughout the day as well.

The NCAIE student conference is organized and executed by a small group of students from various North Carolina colleges and universities. WCC student Diamond Simmons was on the student leadership team and was responsible for helping plan the event.

Simmons was also selected to present at the conference. Her presentation was titled “Ignite the Mission: Unlock the Leader Within.”

“I enjoyed being able to present and have a leadership role,” Simmons shared. “In my session, we did a group activity where students wrote down ways to improve education, health, and the economy globally and locally. I had an amazing time being able to speak about leadership and why it matters.”