“Dr. Cissy Petty’s presentation on “Strength-Based Learning and Student Affairs,” at the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Seminar for Higher Education Leadership in June 2011 was one of the best presentations in the seminar’s history. Dr. Petty engaged the assembled administrative and academic leadership in a personal Strengths Quest exercise as a launching off point for her talk on strengths-based leadership. By presenting her material in a dynamic Prezi format, and drawing on her natural energetic personality and ability to engage fellow university leaders in meaningful conversations, Dr. Petty led an informative and thought-provoking session which resulted in continued discussions throughout the weeklong seminar related to identifying and developing the strengths of our university partners. I highly recommend Dr. Petty as a speaker for your next conference!”
– Lorraine Snyder, Special Assistant to the President
“I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Cissy Petty deliver her remarkable session “Leading From Within: Spirituality in the Workplace” at the NASPA Conference in 2014 and her words had a profound impact on me and the rest of the audience. Cissy is a dynamic story-teller, and she uses her gift to connect, provoke and inspire others to reflect and take action. Cissy brilliantly weaves personal stories and facts about the current status of higher education in her talk. She encourages people to live their very best lives at work and at home. She believes that she doesn’t have a “job,” she has a “vocation,” and all who have the opportunity to hear her speak profoundly feel her commitment to advancing our profession. How lucky are we, to have someone like Cissy in our field!”
- Dr. Ann Marie Klotz, Dean for Campus Life, New York Institute of Technology
"Cissy's "Fierce Conversations" talk was an exceptional addition to our Emerging Perspectives in Student Affairs Leadership Series. She took an action we take for granted--conversation--and revealed it to be a powerful tool for exerting transformational leadership. She raised the stakes by creating the notion of Fierce Conversations--those interactions imbued with passion, energy, integrity, authenticity, and courage. We left with specific actions to take in order to transform our conversations into tools for organizational and individual change and improvement."
- Patrick G. Love, Vice President for Student Affairs, New York Institute of Technology
“Cissy designs content with care, focused on what the participants need most. Her message is sophisticated yet direct, thought provoking and empowering. She pushes and positively challenges participants to evaluate their actions and behavior so they can develop the skills needed to engage in difficult conversations and develop trusting relationships. Cissy honors each participant’s journey and establishes a learning space that motivates them to expand their thinking and change their behavior. Her rare combination of empathetic inquiry, humor, and vivacity make her a gift to any audience.”
– Teri Bump, VP University Relations/ Student Affairs for American Campus Communities
