Plenary sessions feature a presentation by a keynote speaker to all conference participants. Speakers provide insight into their personal and professional paths to success, while also expanding on the conference theme. Previous keynote speakers include: Marc Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League; Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Senior Client Adviser, Morgan Stanley; Sheila C. Johnson, CEO, Salamander Hospitality, LLC, and, Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield, United States Ambassador to the United Nations.

Workshops provide Scholars specific skills and techniques that they may directly apply to their daily life on campus and as they transition from the classroom to the workplace.

Among the course offerings this year are:
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Resume Review
- Cultivating Effective Leadership Skills
- Dining and Social Etiquette
- Preparing for Life After College

Industry Panels expose Scholars to the various professions and career opportunities available in a specific industry. The session, a moderated discussion with an impressive roster of executives and business professionals followed by Q&A, allows Scholars to interact with industry leaders, learn about career paths and improve their networking skills.

The 2025 MLC will focus on careers in:
- Business, Finance, and Economics
- Engineering and Technology
- Film, Music, TV, and Theatre
- Communications and Marketing
- Healthcare
- Law and Public Policy

An interactive learning experience where participants analyze and discuss real-world scenarios to gain deeper insights into a specific topic.

- Crisis Command: Decision Making Under Pressure
- Roots to Results: Leading Change from the Ground Up
- Leading Across the Line: Navigating the Global Economy

A large-scale showcase of exhibitors that provides educational programming, panel discussions, product sampling, and networking opportunities for JRF Scholars.

Sponsor lunches provide an opportunity for direct engagement with JRF Scholars through the coordination of a visit to your organization’s headquarters or take Scholars to a local New York City restaurant.

JRF Scholars are among an incredibly talented pool of college students who will become our country’s next generation of leaders. Like TED Talks, Jack Talks are engaging, Scholar-led sessions in which JRF Scholars can discuss, create, advocate for, and present their big idea in a 6-8-minute presentation. Presentations address a political or social issue with tactics for change; highlight strategies for personal or professional growth; or provide strategies to develop or enhance community building.

Key to the development of a well-rounded citizen is exposure to and education of a society’s art and culture. New York City affords JRF the opportunity to expose Scholars to a wide range of options. The Mentoring and Leadership Conference utilizes this with trips to the ballet, opera, theater or museum.

An original conference component, the regional meetings are intimate gatherings facilitated by mentors that provide Scholars with a safe space to share their personal successes and challenges of the previous year with their peers. JRF also makes professional counselors available to provide additional advice and support.

JRF Scholars are not only excelling academically, they are also making significant changes and impacting lives in their communities. The Scholars’ Awards Ceremony serves to honor individuals for their outstanding academic achievements, exemplary civic engagement, and unwavering commitment as ambassadors of Jackie Robinson’s legacy.