Leadership Achievement Award
The BGSU Leadership Achievement Award is a self-paced, comprehensive program in which students design their leadership journey by engaging in and reflecting on BGSU experiences. Students who receive the BGSU Leadership Achievement Award will develop leadership and team development skills that will aid and support their future career.
The program is adaptable so all students can work toward achieving this distinguished recognition. To participate, students must answer yes to the following questions:
- Are you interested in improving your leadership skills and abilities?
- Are you or will you be an active student leader at BGSU?
- Do you have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher?
- Are you committed to giving back through community service?
The BGSU Leadership Achievement Award Advantage
- Demonstrates student’s leadership and team development skills
- Highlights developmental outcomes of each leadership experience
- Assists students as they transition to leadership and team roles within a work environment
Requirements
This pillar involves educational experiences we believe are crucial for leadership development, which include areas of focus such as group development, communication and conflict management. The pillar requires that students complete at least one (1) Marvin Center certificate and an additional leadership education experience.
Examples of leadership education experiences:
- Safe Zone training
- Leadership Academy
- Relevant classes
- LEAD 1000
- Falcon Leadership Institute (FLI)
- Conference sessions
- Leadership retreat
- Student Leadership Assistant workshops
We ask students to meet with a mentor at least three times each year they work toward earning the Leadership Achievement Award and submit a reflection for each year. Mentors can be any faculty or staff member on campus or in the community. Conversations should be on-going and intentional. If you don’t have a mentor, your coordinator can help you identify and reach out to someone!
Ideas for finding a mentor:
- Supervisor at work
- Academic advisor
- Professor
- Student organization advisor
Students must complete 80 hours of community service, with each individual experience counting for no more than 20 hours. We are looking for students to experience a diverse array of projects; we recognize an incredible amount of your growth and development comes from outside the classroom.
Examples of community service experiences:
- BG Alternative Breaks
- Humane Society
- Conference/event volunteer
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
- Friday Night Lights
- Dance Marathon
This is where you gain practical leadership experience and start to put your learning into action! We want to see students get involved in two ways:
- In-Class Experiences: member in-class team or group projects
- Co-Curricular Experiences: take on a formal or informal leadership role in a student organization or employment setting
Students will reflect on two experiences they have had over the course of their BGSU career for each category.
Examples of project and leadership experiences:
- Student organization executive board
- Conference/event planning committee
- Class group projects
- Scholarship/award committee
- Working on a team during employment
The Capstone Experience
In addition to completing elements within the four pillars, students also complete a Cumulative Capstone Project. This is your opportunity to bring everything you have learned from the four pillars and create a meaningful project. It must be approved by your Leadership Achievement Award Coordinator and should involve a significant level of commitment and action.
Be creative and think of topics, initiatives, or areas of need in which you are passionate! Similar to the education requirements, we leave the capstone intentionally broad to include as many ideas as possible. Consult with your coordinator if you need examples or help brainstorming ideas!
Examples of Capstone projects:
- Developing a position transition manual
- Creating a peer mentoring program
- Hosting a focus group
- Organizing a large event
- Conducting a research study
- Coordinating a service project
Past Recipients
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Drew Ashby-King
Juantez Bates
Madeline Baumble
Ali Brown
Hannah Cubberly
Jake Dillon
Maureen E. Doyle
Kyle Jumper-Smith
Zack Jung
Jordan Lutz
Allana Meadows
Beau Mourer
Benjamin Myers
Richie Racette
Abby Wasserman
Katie Webb
Candice Cotton
Anna Voinovich
Brandon Swope
LaShaundra Brown-Clopton
Michael Reilly
Lauren Brunswick
Cody Smith
Kimberly Zaccaro
Julia Godber
Rachel Robinson
Kallie Durkit
Samantha Kirsch
Lauren Purdy
Samuel Schmitt
Bryant Sheppard
Tiffany R. Smith
Laura Timmerman
Jonathan Zachrich
Ashley Lewis
Erin Porter
Heather Sabin
Kevin Basch
Dan Caldwell
Nicole Chase
Adison Heyne
Student Testimonials
Every student leader should take the time to complete the BGSU Leadership Achievement Award because it enables you to apply the culmination of leadership experiences and opportunities we have been able to take advantage of throughout our time at BGSU and apply them to a tangible project where we can see our impact as leaders come to fruition.
- Xavi Boes, '21
Completing the BGSU Leadership Achievement Award helped me recognize and hone my strengths as a student leader that have transferred into valuable skills early on in my career. The self-discipline and organization that enabled me to complete the award in just two years are the same attributes that have set me apart professionally. This award also positively shaped my worldview and influenced how I behave as a civically minded and engaged person in my community and beyond.
- Hannah Cubberly, '19
I have learned that there is more to leadership than just being the "most prominent" member of the group such as the captain, teacher, or adviser.
Leadership comes in many forms, shapes and sizes, and with the right approach, mindset and goals, there is opportunity for leadership in every situation and circumstance.
-Megan Hemmelgarn '17
Updated: 01/03/2022 10:57AM