SOAR Student Leadership Conference
Table of Contents
SOAR Student Leadership Conference
Saturday, February 1, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Location: Richcraft Hall
SOLD OUT!
Each year, this one-day conference at Carleton provides opportunities for student attendees to practice and reflect on their leadership skills with a keynote speaker, Carleton alumni, and fellow student leaders. Thank you to all the delegates who attended, and all of our dedicated staff, volunteers, alumni and campus partners who made the event a success!
Keynote Speaker
We are proud to share that Waneek Horn-Miller provided the keynote address for SOAR 2025!
Similar to the arduous process of making wampum beads, the journey of Waneek Horn-Miller doesn’t begin and end with being an Olympic Water Polo athlete. A Mohawk from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory near Montreal, Waneek was behind the lines during the Oka crisis in 1990 when she was stabbed by a Canadian soldier’s bayonet. It was a near-death experience that marked a turning point in her life. Waneek has overcome discrimination and violence to emerge as one of North America’s most inspiring female Indigenous speakers with a compelling perspective and dynamic stories to share.
-
of the Inquiry and advocates on Indigenous issues in other ways to help build healthy and prosperous communities. Waneek is an advocate for building Indigenous sport and has worked with the Assembly of First Nations to develop their sport, fitness and health strategy. Drawing on her experiences as the former co-captain of Canada’s Olympic women’s water polo team, Waneek shares her story and teaches how to build self-esteem through a balance of education and sport. Waneek travels extensively from border to border, speaking to Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences on issues of reconciliation, sport and why it is important we must all strive for our dreams.
Waneek currently works with Indigenous Financial Solutions helping their mandate of supporting economic and financial wellbeing in Indigenous is communities. She is also completing a Masters of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia where she is studying the impacts and strengths of Indigenous motivation. Waneek also served as one of the coaches on the first season of CBC’s reality competition series, Canada’s Ultimate Challenge.
As one of Canada’s few Indigenous Olympians, Waneek has used her unique experiences in life and sport combined with a passion for her culture to influence Indigenous and non-Indigenous leadership in sport and wellness, Indigenous business, women in business and community building. The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Recently named her one of Canada’s most influential women in sport. “If we want reconciliation, for ourselves and our children, we need to have hard conversations, build common ground, and really listen to each other.”
What is SOAR?
The SOAR Student Leadership Conference is an annual conference for student leaders at Carleton University. At SOAR, attendees are challenged and inspired to develop their leadership skills through informative and interactive workshops and presentations. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a Networking Lunch where they will learn more about leadership opportunities in the Ottawa and Carleton community.
SOAR provides delegates with many unique opportunities. Participants in the conference will be able to:
- Challenge themselves in new and meaningful ways outside of the classroom
- Learn how to be an effective leader
- Understand foundations and theories about leadership and their potential as a leader
- Enhance their personal philosophy of leadership
- Attend workshops on a variety of trends and topics, delivered by engaging speakers
- Engage with a well-known keynote speaker
- Receive a free headshot
- Gain valuable experience that can be added to students’ Co-Curricular Record
-
Past keynote speakers for the conference have included:
- Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson
- Sarain Fox
- Andre De Grasse
- Martin Luther King III
- Tessa Virtue
- Spencer West
- Col. Chris Hadfield
- Arlene Dickinson
- Craig Kielburger
- Neil Pasricha
Accessibility
The accessibility icon toolkit was created in partnership and consultation with the Paul Menton Centre to provide indicators to allow students to navigate events more effectively.
Photos and/or video will be taken at this event.
More Information
For more information regarding the SOAR Student Leadership Conference, please e-mail Pauline Phelan at leadership@carleton.ca