The University of North Dakota has hosted several 18:83 Speaker Series presentations this year from Andrew Armacost to Dr. Douglas Munski. These weekly, brief speeches are meant to model the format of a TED Talk, delivering lessons on leadership and self-development.   

This past week, the Vice President of Finance and Operations here on campus took to the stage to discuss her experiences in career and personal growth. Karla Mongeon recieved a degree in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration, working as a certified Accountant and Director of Finance after completing her academic career. In 2015, Mongeon was appointed the UND Associate Vice President of Finance and has been in the role of President of Finance since 2022.  

At the Memorial Union stairs, students, faculty and community members gathered to listen to Mongeon’s presentation. Mongeon delivered a confident, impactful speech while also being personable enough to gather a handful of laughs from the audience. Her presentation started off with an analogy that had the audience thinking. Mongeon shared a story of someone calling her a “sardine,” expressing her initial humiliation at being tagged with the term. However, she revealed a metaphor about how such a comparison can inspire professional development. It has been proven that a school of sardines does not always turn in one direction simultaneously; once a few make the decision to change paths, “the rest of the school will follow.” Mongeon shared this metaphor as an opening to her presentation about being a leader and making a change.   

Mongeon got involved with the audience, showing off a handful of t-shirts from her closet and asking what the audience thought of the slogans on them. As a reward for audience participation, she handed out tins of sardines. This audience-involved activity was meant to encourage others to show off their authentic selves in the same way that Mongeon’s graphic t-shirt collection allows her to reveal her personality.   

Perhaps the most straightforward part of Mongeon’s presentation was when she asked her audience, “what makes an authentic leader?” She answered this question by reflecting on the importance of qualities and values like integrity and self-awareness, emphasizing our duty to reflect our authentic selves and beliefs in the way we live each day.   

Overall, Mongeon’s presentation shared advice on being an authentic leader, asking others to look inward and focus on personal growth. She proposed to others to admit to their wrongs and focus on leadership development to foster healthy, productive, professional environments. Leaving her audience with a smile on their faces, Mongeon delivered an upbeat and direct speech that reminded us all that being our best selves is the most efficient approach to success we can possibly take.   

Ava Stockstad is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].