October 21, 2024 - The Global Salesian Leadership Symposium (GSLS) is a hallmark of the Salesian Leadership Initiative (SLI), a school-wide value-added service for every student. The St. Francis student body is a diverse group from a variety of socio-economic, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. It is widely recognized as a premier, Catholic, college-preparatory school for young men who desire a rigorous academic experience. The school’s motto is “Be Who You Are and Be That Well.” It is not just a slogan but a passionate way of living life that helps every student realize their greatest potential.

St. Francis juniors and seniors were in attendance, as well as other students, men and women, from other regional Catholic and public high schools. GSLS provides students with an opportunity to experience a professional development and networking event, mingle with thought leaders, and hear directly from industry experts.

Goal of the Salesian Leadership Initiative

The SLI inspires future leaders of self and others. It promotes the acquisition and practice of the skills, virtues, and motivation students need as future husbands, fathers, citizens, employees, and employers. The Initiative engages the entire community: students, faculty, and staff. It involves teacher training and follow-up, appropriate additions and adjustments to current course and extracurricular activities, formation, expert coaching, alumni mentoring, group activities, service trips, individual and group reflection, and integration and outcomes assessment. In addition, qualified juniors and seniors may elect to participate in a more focused, community-based, leadership program.

Keynote Speakers

Tom Seeman SFS '77

Tom Seeman is a businessperson who has owned and led several businesses. He grew up in a family of fourteen on welfare and food stamps in the projects of Toledo, Ohio. He earned his B.A. in Economics from Yale, where he rowed on the crew team and graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, before going on to earn his J.D. at Harvard.

Tom Seeman has recently authored a lyrical coming-of-age story set in the projects of Toledo, Ohio, Animals I Want To See. It explores themes of identity, ambition, religion, and friendship—often across racial and social lines—as it spotlights a family of fourteen and tracks a boy's journey from a child janitor with big dreams to a teenage petty criminal to a student at Yale and Harvard.

Drew Dudley

Fifteen years ago, Drew Dudley was the head of Canada’s largest leadership program at the University of Toronto when a group of his students secretly nominated him to deliver a TED Talk that went on to be voted one of the “15 Most Inspirational TED Talks of All Time” and gave Drew the opportunity to travel the world trying to redefine leadership for as many people as possible.

Now a Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, speaker and educator, Drew is on a mission to help people unlearn some dangerous lessons about leadership. With clients that have included some of the worlds most dynamic organizations--including the United Nations and over 100 colleges and universities--Drew draws on over two decades of experience to blend humor, storytelling and easy-to-implement strategies into some of the most engaging and practical leadership presentations in the world. Both TIME and Business Insider have identified his work as “one of the ten speeches that will make you a better leader.” Drew currently teaches at the University of California Irvine and splits his time between Toronto, Canada and Washington, DC.