Students attended the Iowa State Leadership Experience Thursday night at the Memorial Union to learn more about what it takes to be a leader.

Professors, faculty and students presented 18 classes to more than 130 ISU students. Class topics ranged from “Coping with Difficult People” to “Planning Large-Scale Events.”

Members from the Government of the Student Body, Department of Residence, Greek Council, Inter-Residence Hall Association and Student Activities Center planned the Iowa State Leadership Experience.

Kirstin Leih, graduate assistant in educational leadership and policy studies and member of the event’s planning committee, said the event was open to any ISU student.

“It’s for anyone looking to gain different leadership skills and information,” Leih said.

Leih said the planning committee asked student organizations to nominate members to attend the event.

“The big thing is there wasn’t anything like this that was open for leaders from across campus to collaborate with students,” Leih said.

Valerie Morrison, senior in communication studies, is on the senior class council.

She was interested in the class “Professionalism and Facebook.”

“I want to see what employers like to look at on Facebook,” Morrison said.

Philip De Koster, senior in sociology-LAS, taught a class on parliamentary procedure. He had parliamentary procedure experience last year with the IRHA. As vice president, De Koster ran the meetings.

“It’s a really useful tool to do business in an orderly fashion,” De Koster said.

“I think it’s a good idea to give students an opportunity to learn about leadership. I think it’s part of necessary preparation at the university to not just leave with a degree, but leave prepared to be a citizen.”

Ronald Deiter, professor of economics-agriculture, presented a class titled “Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way.”

“I think sessions like this are good,” Deiter said. “One of the things I’ve noticed repeatedly over the years from industry representatives is that they want to hire graduates from this institution who have outstanding leadership skills.”

Deiter has been an adviser for the Agricultural Business Club for more than 25 years. He said he tried to summarize what he had learned about leadership.

“Leaders become leaders because of three things; it’s who they are, it’s what they know and it’s what they do,” Deiter said.

“I think a lot of people believe you are a leader because of what you know. It’s not just what you know, it’s also what you do.”