Fall 2013
Region I Newsletter From the Leadership Team Leadership Team Colleen Powers cpowers@ccsu.edu Kyndra Angell k.angell@neu.edu Cory Davis cory.davis@quinnipiac.edu Matt Heiser heiserm@wit.edu Becky Lindley rlindle2@fitchburgstate.edu Allie Pukala pukalaa@merrimack.edu
Thank you for checking in to our latest newsletter for the NASPA Region I Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community! In this newsletter, we’ve collected numerous articles highlighting several Region 1 programs, initiatives, and student leaders. Additionally, if you’re planning on attending the Region I conference in Rockport, we’re looking forward to seeing you there. Please see page 3 of this newsletter for details about an opportunity to discuss leadership in the region. We are continually seeking submissions for articles on leadership topics, programs, and initiatives and would love to feature your story in our next newsletter. Also, we’re always looking for members interested in becoming involved with the knowledge community through a number of opportunities. Please contact a member of the membership team for more information and details on how to get involved. Looking forward to seeing you in Rockport! -The Leadership Team
Student Leader Spotlight: Maddie Brodeur By Kyndra Angell Leadership Programs Coordinator – Northeastern University
Madeleine (“Maddie”) Brodeur is the type of student leader that all student affairs professionals hope to have a chance to work with during their careers. Maddie’s passion and enthusiasm for Northeastern University, her involvement, leadership positions, and strong interest in pursuing a career in student affairs shine so brightly from the moment you meet her. Her zest for life is contagious. Maddie is a senior majoring in Political Science and Economics. She is currently completing her second co-op in the Undergraduate Admissions office at Northeastern University. She also holds the esteemed position as a Leadership Consultant in the LEAD360 program, which complements Northeastern University’s experiential learning model. While participating in the program, Maddie is learning the foundation, strategies, and philosophies of leadership. Please see Student Leader Spotlight on page 3
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Letting Student Leaders Lead Their Own Development By Becky Lindley Coordinator of Commuter Affairs and Leadership – Fitchburg State University
Student affairs professionals who provide leadership development programs for their students spend a great deal of time researching, planning, and executing what we hope are beneficial and potentially life-changing opportunities for our students. We worry in our planning process…will students get the meaning of the activities? Are they actually going to develop skills that they can use again in the future? Are they going to think that the activities they do are interesting, worth their time, and FUN? Instead of putting yourself in the students’ shoes to try and figure out these elusive answers, why not put the students in your shoes and have them create the programs themselves! It may sound like a crazy concept – it is hard to let go of control, it will even create more work for you, but in the end your students will have amazing experiences unlike anything you could have made up yourself. The annual Fitchburg State Leadership Conference is a prime example of such an opportunity. What better way for students to practice leadership than to take the lead in running a major event that develops future leaders! Following the above concept, students take on the challenge of creating and executing a full leadership development experience for their peers. Months in advance, a student committee is chosen and, with guidance, commences the handling of the many details that conference planning entails…booking rooms, choosing sessions, communicating with presenters, ordering food through catering, publicity, registration, accommodating needs, etc. It would definitely be easier to do everything yourself (and do it right the first time!) but in the spirit of empowering our students, we want them to learn by practicing. A lot of checking, reminding, and encouraging is absolutely necessary, but in the role of advisor you are right beside the students every step of the way to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. It is possible, it does work, and the students will plan things that they would want to go to. For example, this year’s leadership conference theme was “America’s Next Top Leader” and the students worked in a fashion twist to every component. From a red carpet with paparazzi to a leadership fashion show, this conference was something special…thanks to the students who ran it. The attending students received leadership development and the committee members got a real life taste of being a leader. They faced deadlines, challenges, necessary collaboration and the development of trust amongst team members, and in the end they came out true leaders. And so in the future when you are planning leadership experiences for your students, challenge yourself to pause and ask…could students be helping with the creation and execution process? It could be a retreat, a workshop session, or even (gulp!) a conference. It could be handing over full control to a student committee or simply inviting students to join your professional group. Just reaching out to students gives them the power to influence their own leadership development.
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Join us at the NASPA Region I Conference Bagels, Lox & Leadership! Tuesday, November 19th 8-9am
Join the SLP Knowledge Community at the Region I Conference for a casual conversation over breakfast to share ideas and discuss hot topics! *Look for SLP signs within the breakfast that morning to gather with us. Student Leader Spotlight from page 1
Describe your position as a Leadership Consultant in the LEAD 360 program? As a Leadership Consultant in the LEAD 360 program I, along with a team of five other student Leadership Consultants, facilitate a variety of workshops in different aspects of running a successful student organization. We also do personal consultations with students and their groups in order to help them with any sort of problem existing within their groups. I love being in this position because I am able to, as previously mentioned, help develop other students’ leadership capabilities while also increasing mine! What is your favorite part about being a student leader? I have been granted so many different opportunities to develop my own leadership style and it makes me extremely happy when I can help other students in the same way. I love the wealth of knowledge I gain from working with some of these amazing students. I see leadership as an ongoing and active learning process, and one that I certainly am excited to continue to explore as a student leader at Northeastern. What advice would you give to first-year students? Apply for leadership positions, even if you don’t think you are necessarily qualified. I never in a million years thought I was totally qualified for any of the positions I applied for. Use your first year to get involved with a couple of things and when your second, third, and fourth years roll around, you will be more than ready. Remember to show your passion and step up into the many leadership roles available to you! You’ll never know unless you try, and what’s the worst that could happen? You hear a “no.” Not a big deal, you’ll find a position where it’s a sure “yes.” Everything happens for a reason. What is the most valuable thing you have learned through your co-curricular activities at Northeastern? The sky is the limit. When I first came to Northeastern I didn’t think I was going to be able to get involved at such a large University and that if I did, I wouldn’t have much impact. This is not the case at all! I have been able to think outside the box, try new things, and reach for the stars in all of my organizations. In fact, as a woman, I sometimes feel pressure to be successful in these leadership positions. I believe that I have seen the sky as the limit in all endeavors I pursue, which has most certainly made me more successful. Maddie will be graduating from Northeastern University in May 2014 and hopes to attend graduate school to pursue a career in student affairs. “I have a passion and desire to work with students and help them find their full potential, especially during such a crucial time like college.”
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Outdoor Recreation and Leadership Development By Kat Dougherty Residence Hall Director- Quinnipiac University
With outdoor recreation departments in higher education increasing in popularity, the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) and the National Intramural and Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA) have established a partnership to provide resources to those working in higher education (NIRSA, 2004). Based on this information as a practioner within the field of student affairs one should not ignore the benefits that accompany the use of the outdoors within leadership development. Many University communities can be over stimulating for our students, temporarily removing students from that environment to learn skills such as communication, self-efficacy, trust, creativity and many more can help create well rounded leaders. With a large variety in the resources that our institutions have access to, it is important to remember that a department doesn’t need a high ropes course, a multimillion dollar facility or a large budget to have a successful outdoor leadership development experience. Creating intentional programs can cost a department next to nothing if proper planning and effective facilitation is in place. At Quinnipiac University the Leadership Living Learning Community (LLC) took a trip to facility called Empower (located about 30 minutes from Quinnipiac’s campus in Middletown, CT) where 25 students participated in zip lining and a leadership scavenger hunt. Students explored the concepts of communication, trust, team dynamics while learning how to use a compass, navigate a deeply wooded area, and complete a complex puzzle and more. Utilizing a tool such as this leadership retreat at the beginning of the year helped establish a strong bond between its members. Within weekly meetings of the LLC components of outdoor recreation are incorporated into the leadership education. Utilizing the outdoor space on campus and in the local area the group has become more self-aware, trusting of each other and displays more knowledge of the campus community and its resources than their nonLLC peers. As one of the facilitators of this group, the below considerations for practice and resources have helped inform my practice, and have helped in the creation of new and exciting experiences for student leaders on our campus.
Miles Adler- Freshman Quinnipiac University student participating in the Leadership Living Learning community day retreat
Considerations for Practice 1. Establish relationships with individuals and departments at your University that have knowledge about Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Education (Examples include: Recreational Sports, Physical Education and ROTC). 2. Use exterior spaces as often as possible, both within training of student staff and to provide new environments for traditional student affairs work. 3. Understand the benefits and qualities of the environment that surrounds your campus; how can you connect your work with this environment? 4. Outdoor Recreation does not need to be physically strenuous; plan out team builders and ice breakers that can be facilitated in the outdoors. Suggested Readings for those interested Adventure Education: Theory and Applications by: Dick Prouty, Jane Panicucci, and Rufus Collinson (2006) The Complete Ropes Course Manual by: Karl Rohnke and Catherine Tait (2012) References National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA). (2004). The value of recreational sports in higher education: Impact on student enrollment, success and buying power. About the Author Kat Dougherty is a 2013 graduate of Indiana University’s Masters in Higher Education and Student Affairs program. After attending IU where she advised the Outdoor Adventure Living Learning community through Residential Programs and Services. Continuing her work with Learning Communities she is currently a Residence Hall Director at Quinnipiac University where Kat is one of the co-coordinator for the Leadership Living Learning Community.
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Student Leader Appreciation: What are we missing? By Allie Pukala Director of Student Involvement – Merrimack College
We appreciate our student leaders, and they know it! Right? Do we really do enough to recognize the dedication student leaders give to their mostly volunteer positions? Student Leader Appreciation can be an area where we slack a little. We provide them with leadership training, opportunities for growth, a safe place to be creative and share their stories but, a little something extra would be nice and could help remind them of their importance on a college campus. So, what can we do? Here are three ideas for you to try on your campus. #1 - Student Leader Appreciation Day At Merrimack College we are using the last day of class in each semester to recognize our student leaders and all of their hard work. We have created a flyer to send to every office in the Student Affairs division letting them know that December 6, 2013 has been deemed STUDENT LEADER APPRECIATION DAY at Merrimack College! They have the option to supply a small token of appreciation to the student leaders to pick up in our office or just use the day to do something a little special to recognize the student leaders directly affiliated to their office. Students will be notified via email about the day and word of mouth! Any student who considers themselves a student leader is welcome to celebrate the day! We will have on hand: Balloons, streamers, and a banner thanking them for their hard work that all student affairs professionals at our institution can sign. Thank you goody bags filled with “student leader supplies” (pencils, erasers etc) snacks, and thank you notes! Snacks and sweet treats displayed out for students to enjoy throughout the day #2 – Holiday E-Card Something as simple as a holiday card via e-mail from your office can go a long way! Nondenominational, celebrating family and a great Fall Semester will fill your student leaders with warmth heading into winter! Be creative – YouTube video card, a photo e-card from your office or just a simple thank you and warm wishes will do the trick! #3 – Student Leader Monthly Newsletter Each month send a newsletter to student leaders (this may depend on your ability to track student leaders on your campus). This newsletter can feature a student leader of the month, events happening on campus, new organizations starting, and information on leadership development opportunities on and off campus. Simple, friendly and fun! This will add weight to what they do every day and allow others on campus to recognize their efforts. Be sure to copy faculty and staff on this newsletter where you see fit!
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Leading the Way: Launching a New Initiative on Campus By Colleen Powers Assistant Director Student Activities & Leadership Development Central Connecticut State University
In August 2013, Central Connecticut State University launched their new leadership initiative, CLIMB. The purpose of this new program was to recognize students for all the leadership development they were already participating in, and to highlight the opportunities taking place across campus. The program is still in its infancy, but so far, the response and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The Brainstorm The development of the program came from ideas heard at a NASPA Drive-In, where several professionals shared the basics of their campus’ leadership programs. That event sparked conversation at Central to develop something new that could touch more students and could tie together the leadership taking place across campus. A committee of professionals in the Student Activities and Leadership Development Office, Hall Directors, graduate interns and students was gathered. The committee met weekly for six months doing extensive research on theories and comparable programs, and discussing various ideas, themes, major components, concepts, goals, and vision. And, ultimately created the backbone for the program launched this fall. There was a tremendous amount of buy-in for the program because of the input the various constituents had in the creation. Please see New Initiative on page 7
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New Initiative from page 6
The Purpose Leadership Development is a major part of the SALD office, but had been primarily targeting leaders in the 120+ clubs and organizations on campus for the past few years. The staff recognized that students were gaining leadership experience through various roles, trainings, positions, and organizations across campus, and those were all valuable in their development. SALD also recognized the limits in available human and fiscal resources, and wanted to create a program which was selfsustaining and reached a large audience. Below is the mission created in these meetings: Central Leadership Initiative: Mission Blue (CLIMB) is the comprehensive leadership program from the Student Activities and Leadership Development Office designed to guide students in developing their leadership skills through engaging in a variety of programs campus-wide within four co-curricular cornerstones: Cultural Competency, Professional Growth, Citizenship and Campus Engagement. The Creation Ultimately, what was created was CLIMB, a comprehensive leadership program which tracks students’ participation in developmental activities across four co-curricular cornerstones, as described above. There are several components to the program, which you can see in our Visual Map (page 6). Points: All students earn points for events, trainings, and positions in which they participate. The points are tracked through the department’s online student organization management system. Points are assigned by co-curricular cornerstone, and based on level of commitment. For example, a Resident Assistant would earn 3 points, while attending an event would earn 1 point, in any given category. Points are tracked based on card-swiping into events, attendance reports received from advisors, and membership in organizations. Involvement Portfolio: As part of the online student organization management system, an Involvement Portfolio, or Co-Curricular Transcript, is created for each student. This is somewhat selfreported, as students need to “join” the organizations they are a part of on the website to get credit for membership. Students can view and manage their portfolio right on the site, so they have one, comprehensive document which shows their progress in the four cornerstones, as well as the dates of their involvement activities. Signature Experiences: The committee created signature experiences which are targeted for specific audiences based on where students are developmentally. The first experience is called Foundation, is open to all new students, and focuses on the primary concepts needed to excel in leadership: self-assessment, awareness, communication, etc. The first Foundation day was held in September, and another will be held in February. Since this is the first year of the program, Foundation was the only signature experience offered. Next year Adventure will be added, which is the experience geared towards second and third year students and focuses on group dynamics. The final experience will be Service, targeting senior leaders, who will work together to create and implement a program effecting the greater community. All the Signature Experiences earn points for students, but are not required to participate in CLIMB in general. Recognition Students earning more than 25 points in their first year will be recognized at the annual Leadership Recognition Dinner. Based on current numbers, it is anticipated that many students will meet that point level, and it may be adjusted for future years. Recognition will continue in subsequent years, after students have had the opportunity to continue building their involvement portfolio and earning points. Please see New Initiative on page 8
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New Initiative from page 7
The Rollout Marketing was very important as this new initiative was launched, as was educating faculty, staff and current leaders on campus to act as the ambassadors for the program. While the portfolio is open to all students, new students were the target audience since they would be experiencing this campus for the first time. SALD staff and graduate interns went to work creating logos, marketing documents, and brochures. Social media was heavily utilized as well. The biggest factor in spreading the word was doing in-person commercials to specific groups and departments on campus. These included RAs, OLs, Peer Leaders, FYE Faculty, Admissions, Career Center, Learning Center, and more. Faculty and Staff were also encouraged to submit their events and programs to be included since it was acknowledged that there was leadership taking place everywhere, and that for example, Peer Tutors were gaining extensive experience and should get credit for that! The Evaluation The program is still in its early stages, and this is considered the pilot year. However, anecdotal feedback has been quite positive. An assessment was given to those students participating in the first Signature Experience, and that data was encouraging as well. The staff will continue to assess the program itself, and also looks forward to seeing how it may positively affect campus-wide assessments taking place such as the Student Satisfaction Inventory and the EBI survey. CLIMB is a very exciting initiative on campus, and currently, the focus is to keep the momentum of the new initiative going through the spring semester. Students are actively participating in the program, seeking ways to earn points, and learning so much through the process. The Student Activities and Leadership Development is looking forward to seeing the program grow and develop along with the students!
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