Photo Credits: Paula González
Pictured: (left to right) Addy Barnes, Lizbeth Nunez, De’Rion Crooms, Kylie Kelly, Cathy Polanco
On Thursday, Oct. 16, 19 student leaders and their peers gathered in the Hull Student Union for Swipe Right On Leadership, an engaging event designed to help students connect with campus leaders in a fun and relaxed environment. The event began at 7:11 p.m. and featured refreshments, custom buttons, and laughter as students got the chance to “swipe right” on leadership.
Taking inspiration from the popular dating app Tinder, the event allowed students to “match” with leaders they connected with most. Upon checking in, each participant received a paper ballot with “swipe left” and “swipe right” options to indicate whether they were interested in learning more about each leader.
Students were seated at tables throughout the room while leaders rotated from group to group. Each rotation offered a short window for leaders to introduce themselves and for students to ask questions about involvement opportunities, leadership experiences, or personal insights on campus life.
Once time was up, students made their decisions on their ballots before meeting the next leader. At the end of the night, one table of students was recognized for their overall enthusiasm and awarded Polaroid cameras to capture future memories. Several leaders were also recognized for earning the highest number of right swipes, and each received a JBL speaker as a prize. Leaders recognized included De’Rion Crooms, Lizbeth Nunez, Cathy Polanco, Addy Barnes, and Kylie Kelly.
Swipe Right on Leadership turned what could have been a typical networking session into an exciting and memorable experience. By combining humor, creativity, and authentic conversation, the event reminded everyone that leadership is about connection over titles.
