Student Leadership

The Leadership Development Course is self-paced and can be started and completed during any time from a student's freshman to senior year.

• Character, Competence & Connection: The course content is based in the belief that leadership involves moral and ethical dimensions and that effective leadership equals good leadership; that is, it includes service to others and to contexts beyond the self, as well as authenticity and integrity.
• Progress in the course will be measured by assessments in each module.
• Participants will also meet Career Services, to discuss and reflect upon the course content.

Interested students may sign up for the program by requesting an appointment on Handshake here.

Once you log into your Handshake account, you will go to the "Career Center" page and choose "Appointments". You will then select "Schedule a New Appointment" and choose the Appointment type "Leadership Certificate Program".

During your appointment, you will review the requirements of the program and ask any questions you may have.

After the first appointment, you will be enrolled in the Canvas online course to begin your first steps toward receiving the Leadership Certificate.

Leadership skills and experiences can be defined by three traits: Character, Competence, and Connection.

Participants must complete at least 3 activities within each category listed below.

CHARACTER: developing clarity about ones values, responsibilities, decision-making and their own roll in a mission or an organization.

Complete one of the following:

• Community service (at least 10 hours)
  • For example, volunteering in the TXWES Food Pantry
• Participate in Alternative Spring Break (ASB)
• Other experiences or tasks may qualify for credit within this category. Please contact us to ask about additional tasks not listed here that you would like to submit as credit.

Choose two of the following:

• Tutoring
• Becoming a New Student Mentor
• Values reflection assessment
• Join an organization in the community
• Join a special interest organization

COMPETENCE: developing domain expertise and skills, and demonstrating results. 

Choose one of the following:

• Complete a Major Academic Project
  
  • Semester-long project in your major
• Master Communicator Workshop
• Participate in an internship
• Present at a professional association conference related to your major or career
• Other experiences or tasks may qualify for credit within this category. Please contact us to ask about additional tasks not listed here that you would like to submit as credit.

Choose two of the following:

• Complete a training program
• Complete a certificate program
  • Hootsuite, Google, Adobe Photoshop, or other relevant skills based training certification 
• Join a professional organization
• Take Focus2 Assessments and scheduling an appointment with Career Services
• Join an Academic Student Organization
• Be a member of an Academic Honors student organization
• Attend at a professional development conference

CONNECTION: a skill and process in learning to communicate that emerges from building relationships with others.

Choose one of the following:

• Be involved in a non-academic student organization
• Have a leadership role in a student organization 
• Other experiences or tasks may qualify for credit within this category. Please contact us to ask about additional tasks not listed here that you would like to submit as credit.

Choose two of the following:

• Establish a relationship with a mentor(s)
• Establish peer and ally relationships by joining a professional organization or advocacy/special interest organization in your community
• Attend three self-selected University workshops
• Conduct an Informational Interview
• Attend an Etiquette Dinner
• Attend a Career Fair

Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate, graduation cords and a Leadership pin to signify program achievement and be recognized at the annual Rammy Awards Ceremony in the spring.