LEADERSHIP
EXEMPLARY LEVEL
I entered graduate school wanting to heighten my own personal leadership development and assist students in their leadership journey. I have mastered this skill through my work in the College Student Personnel program and my graduate internship at Ohio Northern University. I completed a practicum in the Office of Multicultural Development, implemented a mid-year evaluation for the Up Til Dawn student organization, and served as the coordinator for graduate assistant Interview Days at Ohio Northern. These leadership experiences have provided me with the skills to be exemplary in the Leadership competency.
In my practicum within the Office of Multicultural Development at Ohio Northern University, I have worked and served as a resource to many multicultural organizations. This past year I have been able to learn more about the multicultural organizations and better understand the issues of the organizations including lack of membership and campus participation, as well as inconsistent leadership within the executive board. Many of the multicultural organizations are challenged with students who do not identify with the organization and are hesitant to attend events. Many students perceived that the multicultural services and organizations are only for individuals that identify in that specific identity. These preconceived notions led to a lack of attendance at events, which makes it extremely difficult for the executive board to plan well-attended events. The lack of attendance led to the executive board feeling defeated and burnout, causing them to quit or stop caring. Realizing that these were the main challenges for the organizations I was able to heighten my services and be intentional in the programming efforts I provided.
After developing a better understanding of the issues and culture of the multicultural student organizations, I planned and implemented a transitional retreat for the student leaders of the multicultural organizations executive boards. Throughout the retreat I addressed some of the organizations’ challenges such as, helping the students learn that attendance does not necessarily make an event a success. I also discussed that it is imperative that organizations understand their mission and purpose and instill these ideas into their events. I stressed that these ideas will intrigue more students to invest in the organization. During the retreat, I was able to put different aspects of the leadership competency into action. This experience allowed me to “create an environment that encourages students to view themselves as having the potential to make meaningful contributions and give appropriate feedback on skills they may seek to become more effective leaders” as drawn from the ACPA and NASPA Leadership competency area (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23). The retreat provided an opportunity for students to truly consider and plan for the upcoming year.
I facilitated using an open and honest discussion style. I focused more on the students being the stakeholders of their own leadership experience, rather than telling them the answers. I worked to give reliable and helpful feedback to the students, which encouraged them to see their own potential. The retreat agenda shows the activities and questions I facilitated to motivate and promote leadership within the student leaders. Encouraging my students to incorporate self-reflection into their own leadership, I used Baxter Magolda’s theory of self-authorship; the theory explains the developmental journey students take towards becoming key decision makers of their own lives (Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, & Renn, 2010). When working with student organizations, I serve as a guide and a facilitator. I do not give my students all the answers, but rather I stress the importance of them working together to discover the appropriate answers. I encourage my students to be reflective and intentional in their organization and work to provide an open and welcoming environment.
In my practicum within the Office of Multicultural Development at Ohio Northern University, I have worked and served as a resource to many multicultural organizations. This past year I have been able to learn more about the multicultural organizations and better understand the issues of the organizations including lack of membership and campus participation, as well as inconsistent leadership within the executive board. Many of the multicultural organizations are challenged with students who do not identify with the organization and are hesitant to attend events. Many students perceived that the multicultural services and organizations are only for individuals that identify in that specific identity. These preconceived notions led to a lack of attendance at events, which makes it extremely difficult for the executive board to plan well-attended events. The lack of attendance led to the executive board feeling defeated and burnout, causing them to quit or stop caring. Realizing that these were the main challenges for the organizations I was able to heighten my services and be intentional in the programming efforts I provided.
After developing a better understanding of the issues and culture of the multicultural student organizations, I planned and implemented a transitional retreat for the student leaders of the multicultural organizations executive boards. Throughout the retreat I addressed some of the organizations’ challenges such as, helping the students learn that attendance does not necessarily make an event a success. I also discussed that it is imperative that organizations understand their mission and purpose and instill these ideas into their events. I stressed that these ideas will intrigue more students to invest in the organization. During the retreat, I was able to put different aspects of the leadership competency into action. This experience allowed me to “create an environment that encourages students to view themselves as having the potential to make meaningful contributions and give appropriate feedback on skills they may seek to become more effective leaders” as drawn from the ACPA and NASPA Leadership competency area (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23). The retreat provided an opportunity for students to truly consider and plan for the upcoming year.
I facilitated using an open and honest discussion style. I focused more on the students being the stakeholders of their own leadership experience, rather than telling them the answers. I worked to give reliable and helpful feedback to the students, which encouraged them to see their own potential. The retreat agenda shows the activities and questions I facilitated to motivate and promote leadership within the student leaders. Encouraging my students to incorporate self-reflection into their own leadership, I used Baxter Magolda’s theory of self-authorship; the theory explains the developmental journey students take towards becoming key decision makers of their own lives (Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton, & Renn, 2010). When working with student organizations, I serve as a guide and a facilitator. I do not give my students all the answers, but rather I stress the importance of them working together to discover the appropriate answers. I encourage my students to be reflective and intentional in their organization and work to provide an open and welcoming environment.
Over these past two years, I have also advised a philanthropy based organization, Up Til Dawn. In the past, the organization only focused on one large fundraising event, the All Night Challenge. Understanding that it is imperative to build leadership within the executive board, the group actively worked to develop our executive board as leaders. We implemented a mid-year check-in process, which assisted in “creating a culture that advocates the appropriate and effective use of feedback systems for improving personal leadership and team performance” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23).
As an organization that strives to continue to improve their events and members, the mid-year check-in provided an opportunity for our executive board to reflect on their own leadership, but also provided feedback to the organization as a whole. Reflection on leadership is an important activity for students to engage in because it helps students have a better understanding of their past and of their ability of making positive changes for the future. It is important that the students understand how their individual leadership is enhanced through their participation in the organization, and that reflection provides a chance for that understanding to happen. From the mid-year check-in, we were able to have a candid discussion with the members about how the organization could better use their authentic skills and ways the group can develop their leadership. For example, a student expressed on the survey that she really wanted to enhance her marketing skills. Thus, we were able to immediately help her improve this skill by putting her in charge of the marketing plan for the spring semester. This plan included recruitment for the new executive board and marketing for all of the spring events. The mid-year check-in was a fantastic tool and helped to “lead, motivate, influence, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the group” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23).
In my last semester of my graduate program, I worked to plan and implement Ohio Northern’s campus visit for Interview Days, a multi-day recruitment and interview program for College Student Personnel candidates. For the first time in Ohio Northern’s history, we were hiring four graduate interns, a substantial increase from the past. Another major change was that the graduate interns would all be working in four various areas across campus, including the Law School and the College of Engineering. With so many new campus partners involved in the process, my job as the Interview Days coordinator was crucial to the success of the program. My role as coordinator provided me the chance to work and excel in the leadership competency aspect of “taking responsibility for the unit and divisional decisions” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23).
Typically, a graduate intern did not coordinate Interview Days; however, understanding how important Interview Days are for the candidates and Ohio Northern, I took the initiative to make it my top priority. Since this was the first time the Law School and College of Engineering were participating in the Interview Days, I set up individual meetings with each department to explain the program in detail and answer any questions. Knowing that I was working with a diverse group of people, I used various methods of communication to make sure I was effectively informing everyone. Through this experience, I strengthened my leadership skills in effective communication and gained a better understanding of what it means to “know the audience.” This enhanced leadership skill helped me to “promote, facilitate, and assess the effectiveness of collaborative initiative” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23). I excelled in this aspect by creating various opportunities for campus partners to meet and interact with candidates, while also providing communication about the process. The Interview Days schedule shows how I was able to share the community and culture of Ohio Northern University with the next generation of leaders.
My leadership mantra is “lead by example.” I work to be a compassionate leader who provides beneficial input. I have defined my own leadership by guiding others, providing an environment that encourages leadership development, and working collaboratively with campus constituents. My various experiences have provided me exemplary skills in the Leadership competency area.
As an organization that strives to continue to improve their events and members, the mid-year check-in provided an opportunity for our executive board to reflect on their own leadership, but also provided feedback to the organization as a whole. Reflection on leadership is an important activity for students to engage in because it helps students have a better understanding of their past and of their ability of making positive changes for the future. It is important that the students understand how their individual leadership is enhanced through their participation in the organization, and that reflection provides a chance for that understanding to happen. From the mid-year check-in, we were able to have a candid discussion with the members about how the organization could better use their authentic skills and ways the group can develop their leadership. For example, a student expressed on the survey that she really wanted to enhance her marketing skills. Thus, we were able to immediately help her improve this skill by putting her in charge of the marketing plan for the spring semester. This plan included recruitment for the new executive board and marketing for all of the spring events. The mid-year check-in was a fantastic tool and helped to “lead, motivate, influence, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the group” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23).
In my last semester of my graduate program, I worked to plan and implement Ohio Northern’s campus visit for Interview Days, a multi-day recruitment and interview program for College Student Personnel candidates. For the first time in Ohio Northern’s history, we were hiring four graduate interns, a substantial increase from the past. Another major change was that the graduate interns would all be working in four various areas across campus, including the Law School and the College of Engineering. With so many new campus partners involved in the process, my job as the Interview Days coordinator was crucial to the success of the program. My role as coordinator provided me the chance to work and excel in the leadership competency aspect of “taking responsibility for the unit and divisional decisions” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23).
Typically, a graduate intern did not coordinate Interview Days; however, understanding how important Interview Days are for the candidates and Ohio Northern, I took the initiative to make it my top priority. Since this was the first time the Law School and College of Engineering were participating in the Interview Days, I set up individual meetings with each department to explain the program in detail and answer any questions. Knowing that I was working with a diverse group of people, I used various methods of communication to make sure I was effectively informing everyone. Through this experience, I strengthened my leadership skills in effective communication and gained a better understanding of what it means to “know the audience.” This enhanced leadership skill helped me to “promote, facilitate, and assess the effectiveness of collaborative initiative” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 23). I excelled in this aspect by creating various opportunities for campus partners to meet and interact with candidates, while also providing communication about the process. The Interview Days schedule shows how I was able to share the community and culture of Ohio Northern University with the next generation of leaders.
My leadership mantra is “lead by example.” I work to be a compassionate leader who provides beneficial input. I have defined my own leadership by guiding others, providing an environment that encourages leadership development, and working collaboratively with campus constituents. My various experiences have provided me exemplary skills in the Leadership competency area.
ARTIFACTS
Click the title to view the artifacts!
Multicultural Organization Retreat Agenda
Up Til Dawn Mid-Year Check-In
Ohio Northern's Interview Days Schedule
References
ACPA & NASPA (2010). Professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners. Washington, DC: Authors.
Evans, N., Forney, D., Guido, F., Patton, L., & Renn, K. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd. Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
ACPA & NASPA (2010). Professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners. Washington, DC: Authors.
Evans, N., Forney, D., Guido, F., Patton, L., & Renn, K. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd. Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.