On the 9th May, I had an amazing opportunity to present and attend the DEN conference as a student representing Capital City College. The event brought together different students from different backgrounds, like Vietnam, Thailand, the Czech Republic and more. It was such a privilege to be part of such an inspiring and vibrant experience.
As part of the college’s turing scheme, I had recently returned from a three-week trip to South Korea. The trip was filled with cultural exchange, academic growth and personal development. At the conference, I was asked to present about this journey and share my experience alongside another student who attended the trip. Even though I was quite excited, I do have to say I felt quite nervous about presenting in front of people I don’t know.
That being said, I wasn’t completely new to presenting. During the trip to Korea, I had already done a few small presentations, so I had a bit of practice. This practice gave me a boost of confidence going into the event.
The conference itself was amazing. There were so many international students who shared their own stories and discussed the challenges currently facing in their home countries. Topics ranged from climate change to global conflict to education access and youth empowerment. But what’s it out to me the most was how every single student was so passionate about their topic. I could really feel how deeply they cared, and it created an atmosphere of genuine understanding and connection.
When it was my turn to present, to my surprise, the presentation went really well! I spoke really clearly, made my points confidently and felt that the audience was geniunly engaged with what I had to say. Seeing people listening with such interest and asking thoughtful questions afterwards made me feel really proud of myself and further boosted my confidence.
Looking back on that day. I honestly feel like it was such a great opportunity to grow not just as a student but as a person. Presenting at the DEN conference helped me develop my public speaking skills in a real and meaningful way. With starting university this September (by God’s grace), I feel a lot more prepared to take on challenges like group presentations and seminars.
Overall, I feel that the DEN conference was a fantastic experience, and it reminded me of the power of student voices and how sharing stories can truly make a difference. I am extremely grateful to have taken part in it. I strongly encourage any students given the chance to present in future events to take it, as you never know how much you’ll learn until you step up and speak out.
Ashley Osuagwu