Bronze leadership launches first meeting

By Brianna Wallen

News Editor

Leadership comes in many forms at the university. Whether it is through organizations, sports, programs, or on-campus jobs, students have the opportunity to serve in many leadership roles.

While many students are interested in becoming leaders and fulfilling roles on campus, they might not know where to start.     

For first-year students, the Bronze Leadership Certificate Program is an opportunity to venture into new facets of campus leadership.  

 The first meeting of the program was held on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Members were shown how to earn their certificate. The informative session also ended in a surprise giveaway. 

Talia Lent, the leadership development graduate intern in the Office of Student Involvement, said that the program is a great resource that students should utilize.  

 “I really wish I knew about this opportunity when I was an undergrad. It’s really great for students that are looking to apply for on-campus leadership roles or just expand their network,” Lent said. 

 Through workshops, leadership experiences and community engagement, members learn and build on the fundamentals of individual leadership, communication skills, personal values, leadership ethics, emotional intelligence and identity awareness.  

 “It really gives students a great opportunity to expand on skills that they may need to work on prior to applying to positions like orientation ambassador, resident adviser, peer mentor, CASAS tutor, etc.,” Lent said.  

 Another benefit to the program is that it can prepare members for other leadership roles on campus and beyond. Through workshops, members are able to meet new staff and students from various departments on campus. 

By having professional and personal relationships with peers, university staff and student leaders, members are able to network and shadow their desired positions.  

 The Bronze Certificate Leadership Program can also spark connections between students, as they offer social events.  

 Biology major Omar Bibi Rabani, a freshman, said she joined the program to enhance her college experience. 

 “I hope to get more experience in leadership and meet new people,” Rabani said.  

 Similarly, health and human services major Eloisa Alves, a freshman, said she decided to apply to engage with the community

 “I hope to build better leadership skills and get more involved with the community,” Alves said. “I also want to build a resume.” 

 While the program has over 100 members, the majority are freshmen.  

 “I think the more you get into college, I think people find their own interests and own clubs and organizations and programs to be a part of,” Lent said. “First-year students are new and want to see opportunities out there.” 

 The semester-long program is self-paced, indicating that students can attend workshops and complete their eight hours of community service whenever they are available. 

  “Whenever a workshop works for them, students can just go, and they can complete the program on their own time. So, there’s no strict deadline,” Lent said. 

 Lent encourages students to apply, as they have a rolling deadline.  

VOL. 64- ISSUE 5