Iowa State is hosting the 47th Annual Big 12 Conference on Black Student Government for the first time in 10 years.
Each academic year, members of Black Student Governments from institutions in the Big 12 Conference assemble for the Big 12 Council on Black Student Government.
The conference, held this year by Iowa State student organization Black Student Alliance (BSA), is held Thursday through Saturday and features social events, vendor and career fairs, keynote speakers and two full-day sessions of workshops.
Nine members of BSA chair the Planning Committee, delegating roles and responsibilities surrounding each aspect of the conference in preparation to host hundreds of guests.
The theme of the 2024 conference is “The Great Expression: Unearthing Our Roots and Owning Our Truths,” which Jaden Reed, BSA’s Big 12 Conference co-chair and a senior in marketing, said will celebrate the Black diaspora and focus on self-appreciation and self-growth.
“During the conference, diverse perspectives and innovative ideas underscored the theme’s power in driving positive change,” said Kia McDowell, the Workshops Committee chair for BSA and a junior in psychology. “Conferences like Big 12 on BSG are pivotal in advancing knowledge and fostering collaboration in an era of rapid change.”
McDowell said she is grateful to be part of an impactful experience, and eagerly anticipates future conferences and pushing knowledge and collaboration boundaries.
Reed said conference registration opened in January, and by Valentine’s Day, more than 400 people had registered.
“For BSA it means a lot,” Reed said. “Just because on our campus, we don’t really have, or at least the people of color on campus don’t really have, a huge spotlight on themselves. So being able to say that on such a small campus compared to other schools, we’re able to host this and show Black excellence in its truest form and network and draw new members and get new members excited for things [like] leadership opportunities, and giving them those opportunities at the conferences.”
Reed said the co-chair role involves working with other universities and BSA to implement conference programming and improving the overall experience.
“I’ve been a part of the planning process since my sophomore year of college,” Reed said. “So it’s been a long time coming, but I’m actually super, super excited for it to happen just because I’ve been waiting so long for it to come around.”
Kierra Jack, BSA’s Big 12 Conference co-chair and a senior in interior design, said it is a blessing to see the conference come into fruition after two plus years of planning.
“It’s rewarding to see that our hard work and time commitment was worth it,” Jack said. “I remember my first semester at ISU. I was only two months into the semester when I was offered this position. At the time, I was unsure of what this planning commitment would look like and I definitely had my doubts, but I felt urged to take this position anyways and learn along the way.”
Jack said despite the trials, errors and learning experiences, she was able to leave the experience with personal and professional growth.
Along with workshops and keynote speakers, the conference will also have food prepared and catered by Kendyll Stevenson, a junior in supply chain management.
“Our conference is about celebrating that diaspora aspect, it’s also represented in our food as well,” Reed said. “We want everybody to be able to taste something a little bit different than we’re all used to, and celebrating that, we’re gonna have things like Jollof rice and Mofongo and things from all over the world that are a part of our culture.”
BSA is also partnering with Jeff’s Pizza, with 20% of proceeds from code “BSA2024” going to BSA with all orders placed between Thursday and Sunday. More information on BSA and the Big 12 Conference can be found on Instagram.
