2017 LEADS Conference

The 7^th annual Leadership Ethics and Diversity in STEM (LEADS) Workshop, sponsored by the West Point Society of Michigan, was held October 6, 2017 at Marygrove College in Detroit. It was a huge success. It was attended by over 350 people, including about 270 Detroit Area middle and high school students who participated in Leadership Ethics and STEM classes.  Cadets from West Point and ROTC cadets from Eastern Michigan, Michigan State, Wayne State and U of Michigan provided the student instructors and mentors.  Faculty from Michigan State and staff from the U.S. Corps of Engineers Detroit Office provided instructors for Chemistry and Bridge-building STEM classes.

West Point Commandant BG Steve Gilland ’90 was the keynote speaker.  Other speakers included:

·         Tim Walton, former Detroit Lion and Detroit NFL Alumni President

·         Alycia Meriweather, Deputy Superintendent Detroit Public Schools Community District

·         Joe Anderson ‘65, 2016 AOG Distinguished Graduate

·         LTC Dennis Sugrue ‘99, Commander US Corps of Engineers Detroit District

·         US MI 14^th District Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, and

·         Cadet 1^st Captain Simone Askew, the first African American woman to lead the West Point Corps of Cadets

 LEADS chair Doug McDowell ’86 thanks all the volunteers, including many new this year, and the numerous donors who made this event successful. A special thanks goes to Pat Locke ’80, the LEADS volunteer national coordinator and Detroit native, who helps pull LEADS Workshops together across the country.