LEADERSHIP

DEVELOPMENT
Outcomes & Evidence
Progress Inventory*
MINOR IN LEADERSHIP STUDIES
Center for Student Leadership Development
Memorial Union
University of Rhode Island
Name: Jakob Frenette
Date Enrolled: 2013
Date of Graduation: 2017

Leadership Inventory Revised 8/30/2013

*The Outcomes & Evidence Progress Inventory is the intellectual property of the Center for Student Leadership Development (CSLD) at
the University of Rhode Island and cannot be reproduced in part, or in its entirety, without the written permission of the acting
Assistant Director of the CSLD.

CONTENTS

ABOUT THE MINOR & CENTER FOR STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (information included)
Center for Student Leadership Development Information
Minor Information
Developmental Model
ADVISING INFORMATION (students will include own documentation)
Tracking Sheet / Advising Updates
Syllabi of Minor Classes (Core and Electives)
Internship
o Guidelines
o Syllabus
o Mid-term
o Final
OUTCOMES
Outcomes (Self-Leadership, Interpersonal and Organizational, Leadership Theories, Inclusive Leadership, Critical
Thinking)
Targeted Classes
Experiences
Evidence

Leadership Inventory Revised 8/30/2013

CENTER FOR STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Office: Memorial Union Room 210

Phone: (401) 874-2726

Fax: (401) 874-5317

CSLD Mission Statement

To enhance the mission of the University of Rhode Island, The Center for Student Leadership Development aims to:
Provide developmental opportunities for all students to become informed, inclusive, effective, and ethical leaders in the global marketplace through the implementation of
learner-centered academic, experiential, and co-curricular programming.
Engage in research, assessment, and advancement in order to positively impact the expanding field of leadership studies.
CSLD Vision Statement
The URI Center for Student Leadership Development will promote dynamic strengths-based leadership development through multiple delivery methods to prepare students to be
competitive in the work place and global marketplace. The CSLD seeks to progress as innovators for experiential engagement and enriching assessment.
CSLD Values Statement
Grounded in the Social Change Model of Leadership Development (Higher Education Research Institute), Relational Leadership Model (Komivies, Lucas, & McMahon), and Servant
Leadership (Greenleaf), the URI Center for Student Leadership Development values:
Engaged and experiential learning through a constructivist approach
Inclusion, Social Justice, and Civic Engagement
Ethical and Value-based Leadership & Relationship Building
Innovative Assessment and Presentation Models

MINOR IN LEADERSHIP STUDIES

At URI, we are among only a handful of colleges and universities across the country that offers a Minor in Leadership Studies and one that is customized for each student. We utilize
a cross-disciplinary approach to leadership education designed to complement your academic studies. All courses utilize a variety of teaching methods but ultimately include some
form of experiential learning, practical application, and reflective learning. Employers, now more than ever, are seeking candidates with exceptional skills in the areas of
interpersonal and group management, problem solving, critical thinking and effective communication. We can help with all of the above.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Regardless of your major, you can minor in Leadership Studies.

Leadership Inventory Revised 8/30/2013

Requirements may be satisfied by completing 18 or more credits related to leadership and offered by more than one department.
Twelve (12) of the 18 credits must be at the 200 level of instruction or above. A course grade of C or better must be earned in each graded course. At least 12 of the credits
must be earned at URI.
No course may be used to apply to both the major and minor fields of study. Courses in General Education or for other minors may be used for the minor* (*this does not
apply to students in the College of Business). With the exception of internship credit, all courses for the minor must be taken for a grade. The Introductory class must be taken
before the internship and the capstone course.
Application for the minor must be filed in your academic deans office no later than the beginning of the final semester or term.
Approval of the minor does not guarantee that the suggested courses will be available to you on a schedule correlated with your graduation plans nor guarantee space in any
required course.

CORE REQUIREMENTS- 9 Credits

Required Element
Introductory Course
3 credits
Internship
3 credits

Class options
HDF 190: FLITE

Only offered in spring for first-year students

HDF 290: Modern Leadership Issues

Offered Fall and Spring for sophomores & juniors

HDF 417: Leadership Internship

Requires 40 hours/credit with a min. of 80 hours & a max. of 120 hours of documented
internship experience for graded credit

or

or

Experience through Office of Experiential Learning & Community Engagement

or

Capstone
3 credits

Internship Class in Academic Major

The only time the major and minor can overlap

HDF 412: Historical, Multi-ethnic & Alternative Leadership

Offered only in the fall with preference given to seniors

COM 402: Leadership & Motivation

Offered in the spring and summer with Dr. Leatham

or
or

BUS 441: Leadership Skills Development

or

HPR 411/412: Honors Senior Seminar

Portfolio
1 credit

Notes

HDF 492: Leadership Minor Portfolio

Offered in the fall and spring with Dr. Cooper

Must be in Honors or have GPA of 3.3
Taken last spring semester of enrollment (some exceptions)

MINOR ELECTIVES-9 credits

*Additional classes may be appropriate and therefore added to the list; see CSLD for the most updated list or bring a class that you think should be an elective
AAF 300: Civil Rights Movement in the US
BUS 341: Organizational Behavior
BUS 342: Human Resource Management
BUS 441: Leadership & Motivation (capstone option)
BUS 443: Organizational Design & Change
BUS 448: International Dimensions of Business
BUS 449: Entrepreneurship
COM 100: Communication Fundamentals
COM 202: Public Speaking

COM 402: Leadership and Motivation (capstone option)

COM 407: Political Communication
COM 415: The Ethics of Persuasion
COM 421: Advanced Interpersonal Communication
COM 422: Communication and Conflict
COM 441: Race, Politics and the Media
COM 450: Organizational Communication
COM 461/462: Managing Cultural Differences in Organizations
CSV 302: URI Community Service

HDF 416: Leadership in Organizations

HDF 417: Leadership Minor Internship
HDF 437: Law & Families in the U.S.
HDF 450: Introduction to Counseling
HPR 118: Honors Course in Speech Communications
HPR 203: The Prepared Mind
HPR 412: Honors Seminar (capstone option)
MSL 101: Introduction to Military Leadership
MSL 201: Leadership & Military History
Leadership Inventory Revised 8/30/2013

COM 208: Argumentation and Debate

COM 210: Persuasion: The Rhetoric of Influence
COM 221: Interpersonal Communication
COM 250: Small Group Communication
COM 302: Advanced Public Speaking
COM 308: Advanced Argumentation
COM 322: Gender & Communication
COM 351: Oral Comm. in Business & the Professions
COM 361: Intercultural Communication
COM 383: Rhetorical Theory
COM 385: Communication and Social Influence

GWS 150: Introduction to Womens Studies

GWS 310: Race, Class, Sexuality in Womens Lives
GWS 350: International Womens Issues
HDF 190: FirstYear Leaders Inspired to Excellence (FLITE)
(introductory course option)
HDF 290: Modern Leadership Issues (introductory course option)
HDF 291: Rose Butler Browne Program Peer Mentoring Program
HDF 412: Historical, MultiEthnic, & Alternative Leadership
(capstone option)
HDF 413: Student Organization Leadership Consulting
HDF 414: Leadership for Activism and Social Change
HDF 415: FLITE Peer Leadership

MSL 201: Military Skills and History of Warfare

MSL 202: Leadership & Team Building
MSL 301: Leadership & Management
PEX 375: Women in Sport Contemporary Perspectives
PHL 212: Ethics
PSC 304: Introduction to Public Administration
PSC 369: Legislative Process and Public Policy
PSC 504: Ethics in Public Administration
SOC300/WMS350: Women and Work
THE 221: Stage Management
THE 341: Theater Management

Leadership Inventory Revised 8/30/2013

BECOMING A POSITIVE LEADER THROUGH DEVELOPMENT & INVOLVEMENT

Wilson, 1998 (URI Memorial Union / Center for Student Leadership Development)
Revised after the publication of Exploring Leadership: for College Students Who Want to Make a Difference by Komives, McMahon and Lucas, 1998.

You need to have your own act together before you can lead others:
2. Lead Yourself

1. Know Yourself
Lead Others

P
R
O
G
R
E
S
S

Strengths
Weaknesses
Values
Needs
Styles
Learning
Teaching
Personality
Membership
Leadership

PROGRESS

Time management
Organization
Self care
Self discipline
Perseverance
Develop and maintain family,
interpersonal, and intimate relationships
Academic, social, personal goals and
objectives

P
R
O
G
R
E
S
S

RE-EVALUATE
former stages as you
progress

4. Develop and Refine

Skills

Leadership theory and

practice
Communication
Group Development
Inclusion
Citizen Activist Skills
Critical Thinking
Teaching and Programming

3. Broaden Your Perspectives

Understand others
PROGRESS

Hierarchy of needs
Racial, cultural, gender, sexual orientation,
religious, class, ability, etc. diversity and
commonalities
Power, privilege, oppression, liberation;
individual and institutional discrimination

OUTCOMES
In this section, you will track your progress toward the outcomes. Each class in the minor targets different outcomes; all of the classes list these
outcomes on the syllabi (the words goals or curriculum areas may be used instead). In many of our classes, the assignments can serve as your
evidence. Periodically, and not less than at the end of each semester, you should update your outcomes progress. In the additional experiences
column, name additional classes or experiences that contributed to you becoming proficient in that outcome. As the semesters pass, you will think of
things from recent semesters and semesters further in the past, or people or jobs, etc. in your past that also influenced your progress on that outcome.
Do not let that ambiguity upset you. Reflecting on development is not a linear process, but it does help to reflect often. In the descriptive notes
column, share insights about your growth, lack of progress, successes, stumbling blocks, etc. At the end of each section, you need to include evidence
that supports your development toward the outcomes. Copies of papers, grading sheets, evaluation lettersanything that shows that someone has
determined that you have demonstrated proficiency (or not, or are making progress). Make sure to keep electronic copies of all of your evidence to
include in your Portfolio.

Outcome Category: Self-Leadership

Outcome

Target class

Additional Experiences

Descriptive notes regarding learning and practice

1.

Student will demonstrate autonomy and a

minimized need for approval

HDF 190
HDF 413

Campus Life
Classes

2.

Student will demonstrate personal,

organizational, and academic examples
of self-discipline

HDF 190
HDF 413

College Life
Social Life

3.

Student will demonstrate the ability to

manage emotions

HDF 190
HDF 413

Student Entertainment Committee

College Classes

4.

Student will demonstrate knowledge of

stress management methods

HDF 190
HDF 413

Student Entertainment Committee

As a college student on a campus away from home, being on your own is already a huge step. While
living on this campus, I have demonstrated the ability to be autonomous and show a minimized need
for approval. I have learned that you should not do things because you will be awarded or commended
for them, but rather just because it makes you happy. When you begin to do things for you and not for
some type of reward, thats when you do it for the right reasons.
Throughout the past 2 semesters, I have definitely had to demonstrate autonomy and a minimized
need for approval. I have been learning that in the real world, you dont always get approval for doing
the right thing, rather, it is expected. I had a tough time the past few semester but I have learned that if
I want something, I have to do it for me, not for anyone elses approval. I have decided to help better
myself and get my grades up because it will better myself and help me in my future endeavors.
One example of how I show self-discipline in a personal way is how I go to the gym or for a run at least
three times a week. An organizational example is how I use a binder and a notebook for every class
and I keep them on my shelf. An academic example is that I go to almost all of my classes and I try to
avoid ever missing a class. Finally, A self-discipline example is how I am limiting myself from spending
money and I choose to only spend money on a coffee twice a week.
One thing that was hard for me in college was trying to balance my social life and my academic life. I
find that when I choose to not go out on weeknights for any reason, I notice that I am more rested and
in a more motivated mood. In my previous years as a student I valued my social life and my
relationship with my friends to be much more important than my working or academic relationship. One
thing that has helped me in this is to wake up at the same time every morning and wake up earlier than
normal. I find when I do this I get more done in my day and am better rested than if I were to go out as
often as I did before. I also use my calendar to keep organized and it really makes a difference in my
productivity. It may seem small but this small change has really helped me become more of a
productive person.
I personally believe that in order to succeed in life, you must keep your emotions under control. I have
personally learned that if you are not in control of your emotions, it can cause you to say and do things
that you shouldnt. One occurrence that I had with this issue was when I was attempting to print an ad
for SEC. I sent my ad on a Monday and went back the next day to pick it up. The first issue I had was
when the woman told me that I had forgot to send it, when I specifically remember sending it. Next,
once the woman found the ad, she started to print it, but the printer unfortunately jammed. At this point
I was crunched for time and was getting frustrated. Rather than lashing out, I chose to control my
emotions and deescalate the situation. I asked the woman if she could print half of the ads in black and
white and the other half in color, when the machine was fixed.
In my previous response to this outcome, I wrote about how I believed that you must keep your
emotions under control, and while I still believe this is true, I look at in in a different light. Before, I
would bury my emotions because that was easier than actually dealing with them; for example, I do not
like confrontation, but who does? I used to run from it, rather than dealing with it. I now believe that it is
important to deal with your emotions. I no longer see it as a bad thing to cry if I need to or even have
conflict with another person because conflict can be healthy. I truly believe that SOLC retreats have
taught me this. Conflict may not be everyones favorite thing to deal with but, handled correctly, it can
be one of the things that can help you grow as a person and as a group.
I personally believe that in order to succeed in life, you must keep your emotions under control. I have
personally learned that if you are not in control of your emotions, it can cause you to say and do things
that you shouldnt. One occurrence that I had with this issue was when I was attempting to print an ad
for SEC. I sent my ad on a Monday and went back the next day to pick it up. The first issue I had was
when the woman told me that I had forgot to send it, when I specifically remember sending it. Next,

5.

Student will demonstrate the ability to

manage stress

HDF 413

Final Exams

6.

Student will express a personal code of

leadership / membership ethics

HDF 413

Helping a Friend

8.

Student will express a personal values

statement

HDF 190
HDF 413

Personal Life
Work Ethic

10
.

Student will demonstrate the ability to

lead a project from start to finish (followthrough)

HDF 413

Student Entertainment Committee

11.

Student will describe goals and objective

statements regarding personal issues,
career issues, and community issues

HDF 413

Student Senate

Outcome Category: Leadership Theories

once the woman found the ad, she started to print it, but the printer unfortunately jammed. At this point
I was crunched for time and was getting frustrated. Rather than lashing out, I chose to control my
emotions and deescalate the situation. I asked the woman if she could print half of the ads in black and
white and the other half in color, when the machine was fixed.
Stress has definitely been a huge part of my life lately. Part of my stress is from home and another
major part is school. One thing that has helped me immensely is knowing when to walk away. A lot of
times I can dwell on things and continue stressing myself out when I should walk away and collect my
thoughts. Two methods that I have been using are going to the gym and going for a walk on the beach.
Both of these may seem simple but they really do help me. I think if anything, it is more of a distraction
than anything else. It gives me some time to think about what is happening and to make the best
decision possible rather than just jumping to a conclusion or acting rash. Even though this may seem
small, it has helped me immensely.
One time that I showed how I was able to manage stress was during my final exams last semester.
When I was stressed, I would put my work down for a period of time and go for a walk. One thing that I
specifically do when Im stressed or I am trying to relax is I close my eyes, I visualize all of my
problems in a bubble and as I slowly breathe in and out and visualize the bubble deflating and
breathing my problems out. It helps me relax and really manage my stress.
I personally have a personal code of ethics. My father has always taught me that honesty is the best
policy. That is the first part of my code, honesty. I believe that honesty is always important and should
always be used. The next part I find important is inclusiveness. Nobody likes to feel left out or invisible,
so I believe that being inclusive and always having open arms is important in leadership. One personal
example I have with this is when I was showing a friend of mine how to make an ad using Photoshop. I
had to be inclusive and show him how I would do it, and when he did something wrong, I was honest
so that he could fix it and improve himself.
What I value personally is my family, my friends and the well being of both. I value ones ability to stay
positive and try to make the most of things. I also learned after taking my VIA that I appreciate beauty
and excellence. Finally, I value being one with nature and connecting to your natural self, without trying
to be something youre not.
Something that I never realized that I valued is my work ethic. I have definitely faltered in this in the
past year but I think because I have struggled, it has shown me what I was missing out on. After going
through a hard time with school, it has made me pick myself up and try to make myself not only a
better person but also a better student. I have been completing all of my work for this semester and
trying to make it the best it can be because I am valuing my work ethic again, and that I am thankful for.
In the Student Entertainment Committee, I am used to having to complete projects on my own on a
daily basis. Last week I was given the task of making ads for the free showing of Frozen in Edwards
Auditorium. First I had to create the ad, then I had to print them. Next step was to send the
advertisement to the PR Coordinator so the ad could be shared using social networks Facebook and
Twitter. Finally, I gave the ads to the vice president so that they could be handed out at a promo booth
in Hope.
One goal that I have personally had was to start being a better person. I know that sounds very vague
and clich, but it is something that I have been working on for a while. I strive to be a happier person
and to really appreciate the little things in life. As well as personal, I also make career goals. One big
goal that I had this year was to become involved in senate. I really enjoy marketing, and it is something
that I am good at, so my goal was to become the director of marketing for the student senate. I have
recently achieved that goal, but what I want to do is continue to grow and change and achieve more in
life. I am not yet where I want to be, but that is why we have goals. We make goals so that we may
better ourselves, achieve those goals, and then proceed to make new ones.

Outcome

Target class

26
.

Student will show knowledge of the

Servant Leadership theory of leadership
by Greenleaf

HDF 190
HDF 413

54
.

Student will demonstrate knowledge of

Charismatic leadership

HDF 413

Additional Experiences

SOLC

Descriptive notes regarding learning and practice

After learning about Robert Greenleafs theory of servant leadership, I now know that servant
leadership starts with a willingness to serve others. It is selfless and the server looks for nothing in
return only a willingness to serve. I personally learned the most about this when we had to do the
speech about servant leadership in FLITE. The research and formation of my speech was very eye
opening to me because it took what we leaned in class and it made me critically think about it and be
able to complete it.
Servant leadership has been very apparent to me when it comes to SOLC retreats, because it is a very
selfless thing to do. I decided to take this class not only to help myself, but because I actually enjoy
helping others. I feel that if I can put a few hours of my time aside in order to help a group of people or
an organization better themselves than that is time well spent. One example of this is when I did the
Alpha Delta Pi retreat. They were dealing with a lot of internal problems but because of the retreat that
my team and I helped with, they are a better functioning organization.
Charismatic Leadership is when one leads with a positive energy and charisma. The best way I can
describe it is an infectious energy. I see this used by a lot of people in the leadership minor. My second
strength is positivity so I enjoy using this type of leadership. I use this the most when it comes to SOLC
retreats because if I am positive and excited, then it helps to make the participants excited and positive
The importance of this style of leadership is to use a positive attitude to motivate the group and help
better the group as a whole.

Outcome Category: Critical Thinking

89
.

Outcome

Target class

Additional Experiences

Descriptive notes regarding learning and practice

Student will demonstrate proficiency of

critical thinking

HDF 413

Class Teamwork

In our SOLC class, one activity that we were given was to create the tallest tower we could, using only
dried spaghetti, a marshmallow, some tape and a string. We were told that we would be timed. With the
time constraint, it put some stress on the group, but we worked together as a group in order to create
the tower. We had to create a strong base and still have enough materials left so that we may make it
tall enough. This took a lot of critical thinking, not only as individuals, but also as a team. We did not
end up having the tallest tower, but we had the strongest base and second tallest tower. I personally
believe that even though we did not win we succeeded by using our critical thinking methods as a
team. I also believe that the competition aspect both helped us and put another challenge in front of us.
I personally believed that it helped me because one of my strengths is competition.

Outcome Category: Interpersonal and Organizational Concepts & Skills

99.

Outcome

Target class

Additional Experiences

Descriptive notes regarding learning and practice

Student will demonstrate knowledge of

active listening techniques

HDF 190
HDF 413

Class Discussions
SOLC Class

In FLITE, I found it very important to have knowledge of active listening techniques. In this class there
is much more conversation and debate compared to your average lecture. Because of this, it is
important for one to actively listen so that they are able to respond with educated answers. I found it
helpful to actively listen and retain information in the class because when I was asked a question I
could give a real opinion and give positive feedback because I knew what I was talking about when we
were on a specific topic.
The SOLC class was extremely helpful to me in terms of facilitation skills because I was learning many

100
.

Student will describe examples of using

active listening skills

HDF 190
HDF 413

Relationships with friends

COM 202

106
.

Student will demonstrate proficiency of

facilitation and de-briefing techniques

HDF 190
HDF 413

Learning Contract
Alpha Delta Pi

112.

Student will show knowledge of techniques

for working with difficult people

HDF 413

Student Senate

123
.

Student will demonstrate proficiency in

informative and persuasive public speaking

HDF 190
HDF 413

COM 100
COM 202

great techniques to help me in facilitating the retreats that I was a part of. Some of the things that
would help me to concentrate were to take notes and to put my phone away. Putting my phone away
was a good skill because I know that if my phone were to go off I would definitely check it because I am
addicted to my phone. To avoid this, I would put my phone away and make sure that it was off in order
to pay attention. I would also take notes because taking notes greatly helps me to keep up with the
information being presented to me and also helps me because if I need to look back on something I
have my own copy.
Because of what I learned in FLITE about active listening, I was able to apply it to a conversation that I
was having with a friend. She came to me wanting relationship advice, as she had done many times
before, but this time I used some of the active listening techniques that I learned in class. I paid
attention to exactly what she was saying, and as she spoke, I smiled and nodded to reinforce to her
that I was listening. When she was done speaking I was able to put my thoughts together and give her
an honest opinion on what I would do if I were in here position. I definitely think that the listening
techniques that I learned in HDF 190 helped me in my personal life when speaking with my friend.
When it came to my public speaking class this year, COM 202. When we would have presentation
days, if we were not presenting, we would have to evaluate our peers speeches. This made it
extremely important to pay attention. I felt an obligation to pay attention to my peers speeches
because if I did not do so, I would not be able to give accurate feedback to them. I would want the
people evaluating me to pay attention and have active listening skills, so I gave them that same
courtesy.
For my learning contract, I shadowed an SOLC retreat. The group participating in the retreat was a
sorority named Alpha Xi Delta or AXiD. When I got to the retreat in the morning to set up, I found out
that I would actually be helping to facilitate some of the activities for the day. One of the activities that I
helped to facilitate was with a hula-hoop pass. This is when the participants stand in a circle holding
hands and they must pass a hula-hoop all the way around the circle without letting go of their
teammates hands. I helped facilitate this exercise and when they were done we talked about what
worked, what didnt, and what could be improved. The group then redid the activity and with the new
information that they talked about, we able to finish much faster.
During the Alpha Delta Pi retreat, I had to demonstrate that I was proficient in debriefing. While I do
tend to habve challenges when it comes to debriefing, I believe that I did it success fully. My favorite
part to debrief was the amazing maze because it is definitely a challenging part of the SOLC
experience but I am confident that I did it well. That specific exercise is challenging and really requires
you to work well as a team and because the group wanted to facilitate bonding between old and new
members, I believe that they took a lot from this.
One instance that I had to work through was when dealing with a difficult person on student senate. In
this situation I had to make an ad for exam rights. I finished the project and handed it in to the person
that asked me to make it, he liked it so I send it to the person that does PR for senate. After I sent the
ad, another person, without my knowledge, took the ad and altered it drastically and sent it to print. I
found out who did it and confronted them. They said that they did not like my ad even though it was not
their place to change it. I calmly spoke with this person and let them know that, while there was nothing
we could do now because the ads were already printed and distributed, next time I would appreciate if
they would just come to me with their concerns. Normally, I would have gotten angry about this
situation, but dealing with difficult participants in retreats taught me many ways to manage stress and
deal with difficult people.
This semester, I was enrolled in Com 100, so I learned about many ways to use public speaking
techniques in many different types of speeches. In one instance I had to work in a group of five and
give a presentation on how age effects communication through technology. In this speech we informed
the audience of different facts on how we thought this, we also had to persuade them to think that this
thesis was correct. We used things such as speaker credibility and different hooks throughout to keep
the audience interested. I connected this back to HDF 190 because it was techniques that I also used
in my speech assessment for FLITE.

124
.

Student will show knowledge of planning

and conducting interviews (as the
interviewee)

HDF 413

Leadership Institute Interviews

135
.

Student will describe personal examples of

building relationships with members as a
leader

HDF 413

Student Entertainment Committee

141
.

Student will describe personal examples of

mentoring and being mentored

HDF 413

Student Entertainment Committee

This year for my public speaking class we had to do a sales pitch, or persuasive speech. I chjose to do
mine on why my peers should buy an apple watch. I found this part to be easy because I am
passionate about apple and its products and I myself own an apple watch so I am confident in the
product I was selling. I created a multimedia PowerPoint, to help get my point across and overall I
believe that it was a success.
This year I decided to apply to be a peer mentor for the leadership institute. I was extremely nervous
for the interview, but because of knowledge I gained in HDF 190 and HDF 413, I was able to keep calm
and prepare for the interview. I did not know what would be asked of me so I reviewed some of the
things I learned when taking these classes. I figured that if I had some of the basic knowledge fresh, it
would help me in some of the questions that would be asked. I also asked questions to past peer
mentors to see what I would need to know for my interview or what I could use to prepare. I asked
questions, reviewed material and in the interview gave my answers depending on how I saw the
question. Even though I was not selected for the position, I feel as though it was a success for me in a
way and a chance to help me grow and hopefully try again next year.
One problem that has occurred in the past with SEC is that the executive board and the general
members have a disconnection. This year we as an exec board had a few ideas to bridge that gap.
One thing that I helped organize was a bonding event before Eli Young Band came last year. We
decided that a good way to advertise would be to go to Mishnock Barn which is a country line dancing
club. Rather than just advertise there, we decided to take executive members of SEC and general
members of SEC and make a bonding event. By doing this, I was bale to make more relationships with
the general members. As a byproduct of this, our new relationships were able to help SEC as a whole
to develop more and work smoothly. I found this very similar to the retreats that we learned how to
facilitate in the SOLC class. One of the most important parts of facilitating to me is creating bonds with
the members to help either build new or rebuild relationships. The only difference was that I was a part
of the organization rather than helping facilitate from outside.
One mentor that I personally had on SEC was Meredith Peabody, who is the Special Events
Committee president. When I first got onto SEC as the Special events Advertising Manager, I was
nervous about how well I would be able to do my job. Meredith guided me in the right direction and
showed me what other Advertising Managers had done in the past. She was always positive and gave
me a lot of positive feedback and constructive criticism. She was a mentor to me in more ways than I
can explain and because of that I am a better person. I wanted to pay that forward, so last year when
we got new executive members on SEC, I went out of my way in an attempt to help them do a good
job. I gave positive feedback and constructive criticism when it was needed. I personally feel as though
I was able to mentor these people in some way because I went out of my way to help them, looking for
nothing in return except a friendship that will last forever. I related this back to HDF 413 because it was
a way that I learned how to mentor while using components that I learned from retreats and from the
SOLC class.