On Sept. 22, 50 new potential leaders attended a pilot program launched on campus for the LeaderShape Institute.
The LeaderShape Institute is a program designed to produce a breakthrough in the leadership capacity of the participants and facilitators on campus, which can be seen in their community or within their organization.
The program was founded in 1986 and has had almost 79,000 participants. The program is typically a four-day immersive experience in a lodge setting.
Director of Career and Professional Services Angela Roman decided to do a pilot LeaderShape program on campus that would meet once a month for eight months to help students gain leadership skills. She explained her decision to have LeaderShape on campus.
“When COVID happened in 2020 we could no longer get students in our residential locations,” Roman said. “We love the curriculum so much that we did not want to give up on the institute… So, I have talked with LeaderShape about how we can move the institution up here today.”
The course offers personal and group and guidance for a change in curriculum.
The LeaderShape experience is hands-on during the almost year-long project.
Students learn to incorporate their experiences on a resume and how to discuss what they learned in a job interview. All materials are at no cost to the students who decide to participate. The students will receive a LeaderShape certificate, an award at the Torchbearer Awards Ceremony and graduation regalia.
The main speaker at the conference was Associate Dean of Student Life Nick Campau. He explained the benefits of having the LeaderShape course on campus.
“Having this in-person reduces the costs,” Campau said. “There is no cost for lodging, food and transportation if we have the LeaderShape Institute class on campus. If this pilot program goes well, we plan to keep the LeaderShape program on campus in this format.”
The participants were very diverse in age range. Some of the younger students are likely just getting ready to enter the job market, while others are older students who may be able to use these new skill sets to help them lead others in their current careers.
Information systems student Nayyer Qasim explained why the LeaderShape program was important to him and how he felt he could benefit from this program.
“My thought process behind attending a professional development session like this was so I could improve my crowd handing skills, improve my decision making and learn how to make an informed decision,” Qasim said.
The goal of the Leadership Scholars program is to help shape the future leaders of tomorrow.
The program hopes that the participants have a positive experience, leaving them with the knowledge, confidence and skills to make an impact in their lives and the lives of others.