And being a leader means knowing when to step up and do things but also when to follow people, said the international relations and supply chain management junior.

Johnson is co-chairwoman of the Women’s Initiative for Leadership Development, or WILD, which hosted the 2007 MSU Women’s Leadership Conference on Sunday and also puts on workshops and conferences throughout the year.

The theme for Sunday’s fifth annual event, Leadership … Pass it On!, touched on a wide range of leadership positions and issues during the more than 20 workshops. Topics for the day included mentoring, education, business environments and stress.

Sessions were given by MSU undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and community members.

The idea, Johnson said, was that everyone had her own point of view to contribute to the discussion of leadership.

In addition to WILD, Johnson is involved with the University Activities Board, Women in Business Students’ Association and Model United Nations. She also works with freshmen in James Madison College.

“I’m always active, which I really like because if I’m sitting for too long I get antsy,” she said.

For Sarah Siewert, co-chairwoman of WILD, being in leadership positions has helped her with task management and delegation.

Working with other people in a committee and avoiding “micromanagement” have made things work out well, said Siewert, a communication senior.

After attending the leadership conference her freshman year, Siewert said she joined the planning committee her sophomore year and has been co-chairwoman for two years.

Siewert is president of MSU’s Italian-American Club, secretary for the Public Relations Student Society of America and is an intern for the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports.

“Being in leadership roles is always what I’ve done,” she said. “Being involved helps to narrow down the campus and create a culture for yourself.”

For Melnevia Whaley, a reason to be involved in the conference is to motivate women to step out and lead.

“I feel that it is the need for change, as well as to be that motivation to young women,” said Whaley, a marketing senior. “I see a lot of the women here are afraid to step out on the edge — and I’m not.”

As a member of the 2007 Homecoming Court, she said the court decided to be a part of the leadership conference by talking about their experiences on campus during Sunday’s Get Involved and Lead the Future! session.

Whaley said she is a former racial ethnic student aide, a part of an African-American mentor program, membership chairwoman of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Delta Zeta Chapter, a volunteer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and vice president of Urban Dreams, an MSU dance team.

Graduation and finding a job in the business field are her two points of focus right now, but Whaley said she thought it was important to take some time to share her experiences and try to impact at least one person.

Whaley said she viewed being a minority woman as a hindrance at first, but has come to see MSU as a melting pot for people of different backgrounds.

As a female leader, Johnson said she began to notice discrepancies between men and women as she has started interviewing for business occupations.

Most of the people interviewing for positions, as well as those conducting the interviews, are men, she said.

“On the WILD committee we talk about how females need to talk about what accomplishments they’ve done and things they’ve contributed to,” Johnson said. “Sometimes, it’s harder for females to say that in words — they choose to be more modest. But I think we’re trying to change that.”