When the new leadership team was selected for the 2021 conference, no one had a clue what it would entail. Hopes were high, but uncertainty left many apprehensive. The planning was initiated and as COVID-19 continued unraveling, one thing became certain – this would be a different experience unlike any conference before it. However, the team had one goal at the forefront of their minds: ensuring this conference incorporated every aspect of the MSC Abbott purpose while making an impact on the delegates.
This goal was not an easy feat, for every idea was followed by a marathon of hurdles ensuring the reality was feasible and safe for all. The team started small with pre-conference events, each one building upon the other. Each event was re-imagined with current guidelines while still making an impact on the participants. The conference saw many changes, from city locations and venues to speakers and activities. Each change brought a new flare to the conference making it one of a kind.
The efforts of the committee paid off as the MSC Abbott Leadership Team presented the campus community with the 26th Annual MSC Abbott Family Leadership Conference; the first in-person, multi day, overnight, physically distanced program since March 2020. The conference hosted more than 75 participants at the Texas A&M University Hotel and Conference Center with various events, speakers from around the state, and for the first time ever in MSC Abbott history – the option to participate virtually.
With all these changes, there was concern the impact of the conference wouldn’t be as great. However, it was evident through the feedback of the delegates this was an experience they would cherish for years to come.
Experiencing the MSC Abbott family leadership conference as a delegate in the uncertain times of 2021 was nothing short of transformational. The wisdom and life lessons taught by local families and speakers from all different backgrounds is something that I have never experienced in another organization. The content of the conference and relationships made through this organization push me to strive to be better every day, live for others, and truly define what my ethics and values are and how to act those out.
- Carter Yake ‘22
The MSC Abbott Family Leadership Conference was a highlight of college for me. What a gift to spend intentional time learning about, reflecting on, and beginning to apply things that truly matter, like ethics, values, and family leadership. I could not recommend this time more.
- Joe Sewell ‘22