PULSE Conference Offers Guide to Success

Annual leadership event gives students skills to excel in school, careers

By offering a variety of exceptional speakers sharing key aspects of what it takes to succeed in academics and life after college, the 2025 PULSE Leadership Conference illustrated once again why it is regarded as one of the premier leadership conferences offered to University of Mississippi students.

Hosted annually by the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy (OMWC), the PULSE Conference brought in inspirational experts who offered their insights on a wide variety of contemporary topics.

The speakers discussed how students can become leaders in their careers, improve their public speaking skills, effectively manage their finances, become impactful philanthropists and use social media networks like LinkedIn to boost their personal brands.

The conference, held earlier in the spring semester, also expanded its audience beyond the Ole Miss campus by welcoming students from Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi, to participate in the two-day event.

“This year’s PULSE Conference continued to be an impactful leadership development opportunity for our students and the students we hosted from Mississippi College because we had fantastic, engaging speakers who knew how to connect with the students,” said Candie Simmons, a member of the Women’s Council and one of the organizers of this year’s PULSE Conference.

“The speakers shared their expertise on a number of topics, but they were sure to emphasize the areas students need to focus on now while in school to prepare for life after college. This conference helps to build these students to become leaders in their careers and communities.

“We recognize the unique opportunity the Ole Miss Women’s Council provides for our students. We decided in 2024 to open the conference up to other colleges and universities. This year we welcomed several students from Mississippi College to participate in the 2025 PULSE Leadership Conference,” Simmons said.

“From the feedback we’ve received, it sounds like they left the conference with a true Ole Miss hospitable experience and knowledge to help them in their academic journey as well as in their professional pursuits after college.”

The Mississippi College students learned that leadership is a means of serving, inspiring and empowering others, said Tammy Arthur, a professor of management in the college’s School of Business. Arthur accompanied the students to the Ole Miss campus for the conference.

“The 2025 PULSE Conference was an excellent way to improve the leadership skills of our students,” Arthur said. “The networking opportunities were probably the best part, as we were able to engage with Ole Miss students and faculty as well as some of the incredible speakers from industry.

“We are so thankful to the Mississippi College Women’s Council and the Ole Miss Women’s Council for sponsoring us to attend.”

Sydney Burrell, a junior from Gulfport, Mississippi, majoring in marketing at Mississippi College, described the conference as an “amazing experience.”

“It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know students and faculty from Ole Miss, allowing me to grow my network and prepare for my future,” Burrell said. “The speakers were incredible and excellent role models to learn from as well as interesting and engaging overall.

“I am so thankful for the opportunity that the MC Women’s Council and the Ole Miss Women’s Council gave my fellow students and me.”

Parker Smith, an OMWC scholar from St. Charles, Missouri, and a freshman at Ole Miss, said while attending the PULSE Leadership Conference would benefit every undergraduate student, he found it was especially helpful for students like him who are just starting their academic journey in higher education.

“Being a freshman can be really stressful sometimes, but this conference did a great job of showing me how I can allocate my time to get the most out of my college experience,” Smith said. “I would encourage any and all students to attend the PULSE Conference.

“Not only does it set you up for success in your college years, but I also found that this conference is a great place to network, make possible connections and meet students who are equally as passionate about preparing for their futures as you are.”

Topics addressed by conference speakers included “Navigating Crucial Conversations,” “Finance 101,” “The Art of Public Speaking,” “Philanthropy” and “The Importance of Personal Branding.”

Natashia Gregoire, a UM alumna and head of internal communications for Amazon Operations Businesses in the Americas, opened the conference with her keynote talk, “A Seat at the Table.”

Her responsibilities at Amazon extend globally as Gregoire oversees communications for key operational functions including engineering, real estate, procurement and robotics. Prior to joining Amazon, she spent 10 years in various communications leadership roles at FedEx in Memphis, Tennessee.

While at Ole Miss, Gregoire was inducted into the UM Hall of Fame and made history as both the first Black woman and first international student to serve as editor of the university’s student newspaper, The Daily Mississippian.

Planning is underway for the 2026 PULSE Leadership Conference that will be held Jan. 30-31 on the Ole Miss campus. For students interested in attending and those wanting information on being a sponsor of the popular event, contact Anne Cantrell, OMWC program manager, at 662-915-7273 or cantrell@olemiss.edu.

For more information about the Women’s Council, visit the scholarship program’s website.

By Jonathan Scott/UM Development