Cory Dippold has worked with Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) for more than 10 years. This year, Dippold will serve as chairman for the HOBY World Leadership Congress, the event’s highest-ranking volunteer position.

“[Serving as chairman] is kind of a culmination of my volunteer work,” Dippold said. “I’ve been volunteering in some form or fashion my whole life. At this point in my life to chair this large event, it’s inspiring to me to keep going with my volunteer work and see what level I can take it after this.”

The HOBY World Leadership Congress is an international event where roughly 400 sophomores from across the United States and from 15 different countries participate in a weeklong series of leadership seminars.

HOBY chooses individuals to chair its leadership congress two years prior to the event. Dippold was chosen to chair the July 2011 congress based on his leadership style and experience, said Cheryl Brenn, director of national programs for HOBY.

“I think Cory has a good perspective on some of the challenges facing young people, not only through his volunteer work but through his career,” she said. “Plus, he’s a fantastic volunteer.”

Dippold has been performing chairman duties for the 2011 event since the conclusion of 2010’s event, he said. As part of his duties he is in charge of more than 100 volunteers.

“It’s kind of like being the mayor, you’re running the city. I’m not making all the decisions, but I’ve set people in place to help run the event,” Dippold said. “I’m not the only person coming up with ideas. I’m empowering people to make things happen. I’m a motivator. I’m putting a team in place, but the big decisions still come through me.”

Dippold, who works as director of youth programs at Leadership Toledo, said a student from Leadership Toledo and HOBY’s program provided the idea for this year’s congress theme. The event’s theme is “Ignite Your Light,” a spin off of Katy Perry’s song “Firework.” As a result, the event’s theme song is “Firework,” Dippold said.

Dippold has served as HOBY seminar chairman for three years in Southwest Ohio, three years in Ohio West and is current HOBY director of public relations for the Ohio West seminar. This year’s HOBY World Leadership Congress is at Loyola University in Chicago, July 23-30. In order for students to attend the world leadership congress they must first attend leadership training at their local seminar.

Local seminars are hosted in late spring. For more information about the region’s seminar, visit hobyohio.org.

Tags: Cory Dippold, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, Leadership Toledo

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 at 3:49 pm and is filed under Community, People.
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