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Printer-Friendly Mode'Institute' focuses on student leadership
April 2, 2007 —
This semester Student Life is offering weekly opportunities for SVSU students to work on their leadership skills with the Cardinal Leadership Institute.
The entire Student Life staff has worked on this program, headed by Janelle Hemingway, the director of Student Life, and Reggie Blockett, a leadership intern.
"One of our primary goals, overall, is to increase leadership development opportunities on campus for students," Hemingway said. "Essentially, what we were looking for was something that would include community leaders, faculty and staff [and] be a resource for students."
The Cardinal Leadership Institute holds sessions on Friday and Sunday afternoons and usually lasts around an hour. Speakers include SVSU faculty and staff and members of the SVSU Board of Fellows.
"A letter went out to all faculty and all staff explaining what our idea was and providing some examples of what the topics were that we were looking for," Hemingway said.
"And also the Board of Fellows at SVSU has been really interested in getting involved, having more direct student contact."
Topics to be discussed at upcoming sessions range from "Greek Affairs and Greek Leadership" presented by philosophy professor John Kaczynski on April 13 to "Life Trajectories: A reflective tool for leaders," presented by professor LaCreata Clark on April 20.
Hemingway explains that Student Life was trying to appeal to a wide range of students in designing the series.
"What we were kind of interested in doing is finding a way to allow students to pick and choose which topics were of interest to them," she said.
The Cardinal Leadership Institute draws inspiration from similar programs at SVSU's sister institutions.
"Grand Valley and Central's leadership programs spark out of their student life center and have become a four-credit course,"
Blockett said. "At Central you can get a minor in organizational leadership."
Blockett also explains that other schools have a three-tier program, something that SVSU's Student Life hopes to implement in the future.
Hemingway insisted that the program was for everybody.
"We're not just looking for students who are already in leadership roles," Hemingway said. "We're looking for students who are looking to improve themselves on a personal level and kind of add new skills to their skill tool box."
Both Hemingway and Blockett see a future for the Institute.
"I think that things have been going fairly well for this being our first semester, and I'm really excited to see what next year brings," Blockett said.
The institute hasn't been attended by a great number of students, but those who have attended find it to be a valuable experience.
"The Cardinal Leadership really opened my eyes about what great leaders are and how to become one whether it was just a small group or a huge medical center," said freshman Kayla Yaklin. "The speakers talked on their own subjects and really cared that we were learning something, which made the experience worth it."
Students who participate in at least five Cardinal Leadership Institute sessions will be invited to the Student Life Center Awards Banquet and will receive a certificate of completion.
The Institute's next session will take place on Friday, April 13 in the Student Center Unity Room at 1 p.m.
