This document outlines Bridgewater State University's LEADS program, which stands for Leadership Emerging And Development Series. The 6-week program assists emerging student leaders in developing skills through workshops on topics like leadership styles and social change. Students are split into groups and complete a social change project with guidance from mentors. Assessment through surveys found growth in students' comfort with leadership topics. The program aims to help students gain insight into leadership's impacts and possibilities. Limitations include time constraints and competing commitments, but visions are to expand programming and pursue credit options.

1. LEADERSHIP
TRAINING;
GETTING EMERGING
LEADERS ON TRACK
#NEACUHO2012
Bridgewater State University
- Residence Life & Housing -

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Justin McCauley
@JustinBMcCauley
Ryan Greelish
@RyanGreelish
P. Max Quinn
@PMaxQuinn
@BSURLH

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Goals of this Session

Learn the best practices to assist you in creating
an first year emerging leaders series at your
institution

Learn how incorporating the Social Change
Model of Leadership Development can benefit
emerging student leaders
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Learn to utilize a mentorship
program & curriculum to
promote leadership development

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What is LEADS?
Leaders Emerging And Development Series
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Responsibility of the First Year Residential
Experience committee: Made up of 3 RDs, 1
Graduate Intern and typically 4 RAs
Assists emerging student leaders to develop
their skills, learn leadership theory, find
involvement opportunities and practice their
new skills
This focuses on 1st year resident students
6-week series

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A SNAPSHOT:
Bridgewater State University
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Rural campus
 270
acres with 38 buildings
 House just under 3,000 resident students
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Known for teaching/education since 1840
One of a few schools with aviation in the
country
28 miles from Boston, MA

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A SNAPSHOT:
Bridgewater State University
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Student Population: 11,000+
66/34 % Commuter/Resident
Population
40/60 Male to Female ratio
65+ student organizations
21 varsity sports
Large population balancing
working & school full time
Residence Life & Housing
16 Staff Members
 9 Residence Halls


1 under construction (ETA: FA13)

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History of LEADS
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2002 - BSU’s first FYRE developmental workshop
series for 1st year resident students created
(Facilitated by 2 RDs)
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2005 – FYRE workshop series changes
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2008 - Leadership Summit
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Shifts from student development focus to emerging leaders focus
Repackaged
Featured leadership workshops
2010 – LEADS
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Rebranded again using Social

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Program Structure
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Formal leadership development
sessions
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Group & individual mentoring
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Experiential learning through social
change project
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Met once a week for 6 consecutive
weeks
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Each session was 2 hours long
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16 residents were split into 4 groups
and paired with two mentors

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Social Change Model
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Utilized Komives & Wagner’s Leadership
For A Better World text as a guide
Assumptions of the model
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Leadership is collaborative
Leadership is a process rather than a position
Leadership should be value-based
All students (not just those that hold positions)
are potential leaders
Service is a powerful vehicle for developing
students’ leadership skills
Develop Self-Knowledge & Leadership
competence

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Student Learning Goals

Challenge your perceptions of leadership and learn what it means to be a
leader.
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Help you to understand the responsibilities of being a leader.
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Assist you to actively challenge yourself to be a positive and effective
leader.
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Exercise leadership skills to complete a social change project for the
campus community.
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Learn the value of and prepare you to take on a leadership role within the
Bridgewater State University community.
LEADS Meets all areas of BSU Student Affairs Learning Goals
A Effective Communication & Interpersonal Skills
D. Coherent Integrated Personality
B. Practical Competence
E. Civic Responsibility & Engagement
C. Leadership Skills
F. Understanding of Human
Differences

11. Recruitment & Selection
Process
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Recruitment Process
LEADS Information
Application Requirements
Selection Process
Acceptance
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Curriculum
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Series Description & Objectives
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Facilitators
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Attendance & Participation
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Meeting Dates, Times & Locations
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Teambuilding
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Group Work
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Social Change Project
Session
# 1 January 24 (MDR)
Topic
Welcome, Overview, Strengths Quest, Group Intros & Social
Change Introduction
#2 January 31 (MDR)
Leadership Styles & Leadership Inventory
#3 February 7 (ECC 113)
Group Identity & Leading Collaboratively
#4 February 14 (MDR)
Social Change Activity
#5 February 21 (MDR)
Ethical Leadership
#6 February 28 (MDR)
Social Change Project Presentations

13. Strengths Quest
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Based on Gallup’s research project.
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The premise of strengths is to focus on your
talents rather than spending time on weaknesses.
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Your greatest talents hold the key to high
achievement, success and progress to levels of
personal excellence.
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Each talent can be applied in areas including
relationships, learning, academics, leadership,
service and careers.
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The Four Domains of Leadership: Executing,

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Social Change Project
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Vague, encourage creativity and their
ideas/passions
 No deadline
 Encouraged to happen before class ended
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Meeting in groups (inside and outside of class)
 With mentors
“A social change project is defined as an event, campaign or
performance that will involve an issue that the community must
respond to. Examples of a social change project would range from a
recycling based awareness campaign to a performance that
highlights the struggle GLBTA youth face on campus. During the
first week of the Series the participants will be split into teams, these
teams will be charged with developing the social change project with
the assistance of a project mentor. This project will require some out
of class work. The final session of the Series the teams will present
their project to the rest of the group and talk about their experiences
during the planning and implementation of the project.”

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Social Change Project

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“What I Learned…”
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The students shared what they learned:
“The Strengths Quest really helped me understand my style as a leader and
how I am able to use those characteristics in various ways.” – 2012
Graduate
“I feel as though I have gained insight to the far reaching affects of
leadership. I most often assumed a leadership position only out of
necessity, and I thought it only impacted my group. LEADS has shown me
that leadership of any organization can touch far more people than the
four, or half dozen you happen to be working with. Leadership can have an
impact on hundreds of people at a time!” – 2012 Graduate
“(I’ve learned…) That no idea is stupid and that no voice is too small. From
the Social Change Project, I have learned through working with my group
that anything is possible and that with the great powers of leadership and

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Student Learning

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Mentorship

Help groups complete their social change
project
Groups
 Four groups of four residents paired with a
staff member and an RA
 Teambuilding
 Brainstorming
 Guide students towards
campus resources

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Assessment
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Pre and Post surveys
Comfort with topics
 Five-point Likert scale questions
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Multiple questions about each topic area
Individual Leadership Style
 Group Identify
 Leading Collaboratively
 Leadership Ethics
 Social Change
 Administrative Tasks
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Plan is to track graduates

20. Assessment Continued
I value feedback from a group even if my
personal opinion is disagreed with.
1 – No Degree - 5 - Exceptional Degree

21. Assessment Continued
I have knowledge of how to take action to
make social change
1 – No Degree - 5 - Exceptional Degree

22. Assessment Continued

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Limitations
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Timeline & Length of the Class
Other Commitments & Responsibilities
Non Credit
Budget

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Vision Moving Forward
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Implement a Fall Social/Orientation
Locations: Meeting Space
Letters of Recommendations
Mentor Training & Guidelines
Pursue 1-Credit Option

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Questions?
@BSURLH
Thank you!
Bridgewater State
University
Office of Residence Life &
Housing
100 Dinardo – 508.531.1277
Bridgewater, MA 02325
Justin McCauley
P. Max Quinn
Ryan Greelish
@JustinBMcCaule
@PMaxQuinn
@RyanGreelish