Nearly 100 Orange County students gathered at the Orange County Department of Education on July 30 for the OC Pathways Student Leadership Summit. The event prepared students for leadership development, career exploration, and practical learning experiences. The summit brought together OC Pathways Student Ambassadors and scholars from other affiliated programs, including California Chief Science Officers.
Students representing all 15 career sectors offered through the county’s high school career pathways participated in the day. The summit was designed to help students build career readiness skills, connect with industry professionals, and discover new ways to maximize their impact through innovation. During his opening remarks, Dennis Cole, OCDE Chief of Staff, emphasized that leadership involves "listening to the people around you and hearing the needs they have, and then having compassion and care for them." He encouraged students to incorporate collaboration and empathy into their work, noting that active listening supports better decision-making and stronger leadership.
Attendees also heard from professionals working at the forefront of STEM during an innovators’ panel. Panelists included Andy Chen, a composite manufacturing engineer at Joby Aviation; Linh Le, a components engineer at Blue Origin; Michael Arens, founder and CEO of Clean Earth Rovers; and Dr. Disha Sordana, an AI scientist at NASA’s Open Science initiatives. These professionals shared insights into their careers developing electric aircrafts, space technologies, environmental solutions, and artificial intelligence for space exploration. They also spoke candidly about challenges encountered and the resilience required to transform setbacks into opportunities.
The summit featured advice from six former OC Pathways student ambassadors, who returned to share their program experiences and how these shaped their academic and career journeys. Now attending colleges such as Chapman University and the University of San Diego, these alumni encouraged students to embrace opportunities to step out of their comfort zones and take on leadership roles. Mishaal Mahmood, a former student ambassador and current Barnard College student, highlighted that mentorship can involve building relationships with individuals who share passions.
Throughout the day, students participated in interactive experiences focused on personal branding, design thinking, entrepreneurial problem-solving, and various leadership styles. They also formed their ambassador teams for the upcoming year and were introduced to the new OC Pathways Impact Project. Through this initiative, students will spend the coming year developing innovative solutions to needs they identify within their communities. Crystal Meyer, OCDE coordinator of Career Education and Workforce Development, stated that the program empowers students by giving them a platform to serve as leaders and be the voices of their pathways, connecting them with industry partners for inspiration.
