Sunday, April 6, 2025

Mississippi Collegiate DECA

2024 SCDC Keynote Speaker

2024 Collegiate DECA State Career Development Conference Keynote Speaker: Dr. Stephanie Duguid

February 7, 2024: Canton, MS  Nearly sixty participants attended the Collegiate DECA State Career Development Conference (SCDC) in Canton, MS. The keynote speaker for the conference, Dr. Stephanie Duguid, gave a powerful presentation about leadership. Dr. Duguid, known for providing research-based content, engaged the audience and challenged them to participate. 

Dr. Stephanie Duguid
Dr. Duguid delivers the 2024 keynote address to a captive audience at SCDC.
Dr. Stephanie Duguid
Known, for interacting with her audience, here is an example when she requested the audience raise their hand.
Dr. Stephanie Duguid
Dr. Duguid challenges the participants to grow as leaders during her keynote address.

Asked if she wanted a microphone at the beginning of her presentation, Dr. Duguid, who answers by the name Dr. Stephanie, said I will take one, but I plan to use my teacher’s voice to make sure the audience can hear me.  Moving around the room while making eye contact with the audience, Dr. Stephanie presented slide after slide invoking a dialog with the audience while defining leadership. 

“60 – Percentage of college students think they have excellent leadership skills because they convinced their professor.  (Leadership role helped them get their first job, said Dr. Stephanie).” 

Dakota Hale – MS Collegiate DECA Vice President of Leadership and Dr. Stephanie Duguid
Dakota Hale – MS Collegiate DECA Vice President of Leadership, presented Dr. Duguid, with some DECA Glass after she delivered the keynote address at the 2024 SCDC.

The deliberate engagement about the importance of leadership with the audience of DECA students was evident as Dr. Stephanie’s presentation attempted to meet the participants where they are in life; preparing to begin their careers.  It is no wonder she has been requested to speak at over 100 conferences!  This year’s SCDC was provided with a keynote speaker whose focus on developing student leaders sought to empower each person in attendance.  She closed by saying participating in DECA shows you have already made steps to grow as a leader.