The stage has been set for the 17th Annual Leadership Conference Friday and Saturday at Troy University.

Conference Check-in will be from 6 until 6:30 p.m. Friday in the lobby of Sartain Hall.

Conference check-in is especially important because there will no registration opportunities on Saturday.

Special music for the Leadership Conference Opening General Session will be presented by the Johnnie Carr Middle School Choraliers from Montgomery at 6:15 p.m. Friday and the session will begin at 6:30 p.m. with Georgia Congressman John Lewis as the keynote speaker.

Shelia Jackson, Troy Public Relations director, said from beginning to end, the 17th Annual Leadership Conference will be outstanding.

“Alabama Congresswoman Terri Sewell will be the keynote speaker for the Closing General Session at noon Saturday in the Trojan Center Ballrooms. To have her and Congressman John Lewis as our keynote speakers is an honor and we are looking forward to welcoming both of these national leaders to Troy University and the City of Troy.”

In between the opening and closing sessions, the conference will also welcome outstanding session speakers and student speakers on Saturday.

Barbara Patterson, conference registrar, said the session speakers are outstanding members of their professions and will speak on different areas of leadership beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Trojan Center Theater.

Melvin C. Smith, Sr. investment advisor, Lincoln Financial Advisors, Corp. in Birmingham will open the General Sessions at 8:30 a.m. He will speak on “Financial Fitness.”

Smith will be followed by Dr. Khaalida T. Forbes, founder and CEO, Metamorphosis Enterprises. Forbes’ topic of interest will be “Emotionally Healthy Change Agents.

The Rev. Glenda Curry, Rector, All Saints Episcopal Church, Birmingham, will then speak on “Equipping Leaders to Handle Tough Assignments.”

A special session for teachers, “Discovering/Rediscovering the ‘Leader’ Within,” will be presented by Dr. Dionne M. Rosser-Mims, associate dean, Troy University College of Education at 9:30 a.m. in Trojan Center Room 224.

The Student Sessions will offer equally informative and enlightening information by outstanding presenters in room 129 Bibb Graves beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

“We have a gentleman, Theo Moore, who is the collection manager for the Legacy Museum at Tuskegee University,” Patterson said. “His topic will be ‘History is the Answer.’”

Moore will be followed by Chad A. Sanders, an attorney with Woods Law Group in New Orleans. Sanders’ topic will be “The ABCs of Academic Excellence.” Dr. Khaalida Forbes will close the Student Sessions with “Emotionally Healthy Change Agents.”

The Closing General Session will include vocal music by the S.D. James Mass Choir/ Evangelistic Pentecostal Church and Shelia Jackson with Spoken Words by Troy University students.

Congresswoman Terri Sewell will deliver the keynote address with closing remarks by S.D. James, 2018 Leadership Conference chair.

The17th Annual Leadership Conference is sponsored by Troy University and the City of Troy.