The Curriculum

The Summer Program

Newly accepted students begin their leadership academy experience in July with an intensive four-week summer program that allows them to experience college life firsthand. Students take college-level courses, read selected leadership texts, participate in seminars and community service events, and take part in various cultural, educational, and experiential learning excursions on the weekends.

PURPOSE

The Summer Program assists scholars with the transition from high school to college. Accepted students begin their PLA experience in July with an intensive four-week summer program, which introduces scholars to University life and sets the leadership foundation upon which the program is based.

Participants take college-level courses and experience college life firsthand. They read selected leadership texts and participate in seminars. Additionally, scholars take part in community service events and various cultural, educational, and weekend entertainment excursions. The program contains academic and co-curricular components designed to:

• Develop essential academic skills
• Create a foundation for leadership development and civic responsibility
• Provide an orientation to campus resources and facilities
• Ease the transition and adjustment of students to the college environment
• Serve the community
• Develop a support group of peers, faculty, and staff
  

Self-Exploration and Personal Leadership Development

The first-year curriculum is an extension of the Summer Program's learning objectives and is designed to help students navigate the educational, social, and personal challenges inherent in a first-year college experience. Scholars will engage in intentional self-exploration to achievethe following learning objectives:

• Articulate the importance of values and purpose in leadership development;
• Identify personal strengths and opportunities for growth in leadership development; and
  
• Identify and discuss their own social identities, while also identifying how social identities inform interactions with others.

PURPOSE

The first year curriculum engages scholars in academic and personal growth, focusing on self-exploration and defining the role of the participant within the group dynamic. This year is the most critical for new scholars; thus, the curriculum was partially developed by colleagues in the First Year Experience Program and the Counseling Center. The goals of the first year curriculum extend from the Summer Program and take into consideration the educational, social, and personal challenges inherent in the first year of college:

• Develop essential academic skills
• Instill the value of student and faculty interaction
• Develop analytical and critical thinking skills
• Clarify values and explore ethical issues
• Develop adequate oral and written communication skills
• Participate in one student organization
• Understand the link between leadership and service to others
• Explore the purpose of higher education and the institutional mission
• Provide an introduction to campus rules, regulations, policies, and procedures

Leadership and Personal Skill Development

The second-year curriculum is focused on building skills that are important to the scholars' leadership development, career exploration, and internship/co-op preparation. The curriculum encourages scholars to refine their academic, leadership, and professional skills-icluding both oral and written communication-to become active participants in- and out- of the classroom. Scholars will engage in skills development activities to achieve the following learning objectives:

• Demonstrate ability to link the theoretical and practical aspects of leadership development;
• Apply leadership theory and conceptal frameworks in small and large group settings; and
  
• Apply leadership theory and conceptual frameworks beyond the PLA within on-campus organizations.

PURPOSE

The focus of the second year is on career and skill development. Scholars will be exposed to a variety of activities and programs designed to hone skills that are pertinent to their success as leaders. Scholars will also explore their career choices and prepare for internships and co-ops. The curriculum encourages students to refine academic, leadership, and professional skills--including oral and written communication-- to become active participants in student organizations and to prepare to be effective teachers as well as learners. The goals of the second year curriculum are to:

• Refine academic, leadership, and professional skills
• Refine oral and written communication skills
• Become active participants in student organizations
• Prepare scholars to be effective leadership teachers as well as learners
• Develop relationships between scholars and potential internship/co-op sites

Professional Skills Development

The third-year curriculum is devoted to service to others and expands beyond basic skills development towards a professional context. Scholars will begin to teach basic leadership development to others, while undergoing advanced leadership development training. The scholars will engage in the PLA Retreat planning process to achieve the following learning objectives:

• Demonstrate the ability to fundraise for the PLA Retreat;
• Demonstrate the ability to lead or facilitate a group to achieve its goals; and
• Use theoretical and conceptual frameworks to ground learning outcomes for education sessions during the PLA Retreat.

PURPOSE

The third year continues the focus on career development while also advancing a focus on service to others. Additionally, scholars at this level begin to teach basic leadership development to others, gain advanced leadership training, and begin preparation for their final year in the PLA. Goals for the third year scholar are:

• Share leadership knowledge with others in a structured environment
• Become a leader in a student organization(s)
• Articulate major points of various leadership theories
• Participate in an internship, co-op, or alternative education program, such as Study Abroad

Preparation for Post-College Experience

The fourth-year curriculum is dedicated to preparing scholars for post-college experiences and assuming greater responsibilities for their learning as it relates to the PLA. Scholars will be responsible for effectively and efficiently hosting the PLA Retreat, the Community Service Project, and the Senior Colloquium, while receiving minimal guidance from the PLA Staff. The scholars will engage in the execution of nermous evens to achieve the following learning objectives:

• Demonstate the ability to analyze and collect information;
• Demonstrate effective use of multimedia/life experiences; and
• Self-assess gains in written and oral communication.

PURPOSE

The focus of the fourth year is dedicated to scholars assuming greater responsibility for their learning while preparing for their post-college experiences. A capstone presentation punctuates the end of the fourth year. Additionally, students plan the annual retreat and devise their own community service project. Goals for fourth year scholars are:

• Develop a plan for post-graduation
• Continue leadership in a student organization(s) while mentoring new leaders
• Provide closure to the PLA experience
• Develop and implement projects
• Articulate the value of faculty/scholar interaction