Fort Bend Independent School District NEWS RELEASE FROM COMMUNITY RELATIONS Keryn Miles, Communications Specialist keryn.miles@fortbendisd.com    281.634.1100

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Leadership in the Business and Medical Communities is Focus of Seminars for FBISD Junior Student Leadership Program Participants

FORT BEND ISD ― Leadership in the business and medical communities was the focus of the most recent day-long seminars offered to Fort Bend ISD’s Junior Student Leadership Program participants. The seminars are held to introduce leadership students to the various roles in community leadership and service.

FBISD Board Member, Susan Hohnbaum, sponsored the seminar on Leadership in the Business Community. She joined the leadership class as they toured the Whole Foods Market in Sugar Land and took part in presentations led by local business professionals at the office of the Greater Fort Bend County Economic Development Council.

Students received valuable information concerning the function of area businesses from Jeff Wiley, president of the Greater Fort Bend County Economic Development Council; Dave Wallace, former Sugar Land Mayor and Chief Executive Officer of Wallace Bajjal Development Partners, Inc.; Keri Schmidt, vice president of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce; and Brandy Leonhardt, fiscal and program director with Fort Bend Corps. Students also generated ideas for creating their own nonprofit organizations during a group activity led by Judy Marchand, board member of Fort Bend Cares.

“The seminar was very informative for students,” said Susan Hohnbaum. “It helped them understand the need for a strong connection between the education and business communities and how both are vital to the growth and success of a community and basically, the quality of life.”

“I was pleased to receive information on how to become better involved in community service projects, especially those offered through Fort Bend Corps,” said Reece Price, student at Bush High School. “It was also interesting to learn about all of the experiences of the former Mayor of Sugar Land.”

Following the seminar on Leadership in the Business Community, students took part in the workshop on Leadership in the Medical Community. FBISD Board vice president, Laurie Caldwell, served as sponsor for the day. During introductions, Caldwell reminded students of their roles as leaders, saying, “Your participation in the Junior Leadership Program is important because you have the opportunity to share what you learn with your peers at school.”

The information students received that day was certainly worth repeating. They first learned about a physician’s role in the community from Willowridge High Schoolgraduate, Dr. Kulvinder Bajwa, Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical School, Department of Surgery. He told the students that “oftentimes, leadership is thrust upon you and you have to decide whether to accept the challenge.” Jim Brown, Chief Executive Officer at Memorial Hermann Hospital, Sugar Land, also offered an explanation of his role as a hospital administrator. He described his style of leadership as nontraditional, saying he encourages his staff to “get in, be productive, get out and focus on what really matters to them.”

Karen Chitty-Boe, Director of Marketing at Memorial Hermann Hospital, Sugar Land, led students on a tour of the 79-bed hospital. While touring the hospital, students visited with a robotic doctor and learned more about the hospital’s Life Flight helicopter and the emergency services it provides.

Dr. Bob Conlon, FBISD Director of Student Support Services, concluded the seminar presentations by holding a round-table discussion focusing on Medicine in the School Community. Dr. Conlon explained the leadership role of his departmental staff and explained the services they provide, such as crisis response teams, developmental guidance, diversity education, and school health services.

The next leadership seminar will focus on Leadership through Government.

Shown following a presentation at the Greater Fort Bend County Economic Development Council offices are (from left) Jason Chern (Bush High School); Susan Hohnbaum, FBISD Board Member; Brandy Leonhardt, fiscal and program director at Fort Bend CORPS; and Taylor Love (Kempner High School).

FBISD Board Secretary, Laurie Caldwell, speaks to leadership students prior to their visit to Hermann Memorial Hospital.

The student leadership group is shown near a Life Flight helicopter.

Pictured at the Whole Foods Market in Sugar Land are (from left) Bindu Upadhyaya (Kempner High School), Shahana Momin (Marshall High School), Consuelo Haller, Director of Marketing, Whole Foods Market in Sugar Land; and Vincent Teran (Elkins High School).

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