CERTIFIED STUDENT LEADER Program Manual Dear Prospective Certified Student Leader, Thank-you for your interest in Florida Atlantic University’s Certified Student Leader program! The vision of the Student Involvement & Leadership department is to enrich campus life by providing programs, services and opportunities for personal growth and the acquisition of skills vital to the development of engaged citizens and future leaders. The Certified Student Leader program provides our students with the opportunity to do just that. The Certified Student Leader Program Manual is a very important tool as you progress through the program. The most important information that will be vital to your success in the program is a complete understanding of the three tiers. These tiers are set-up to develop your leadership skills, challenge you to give back to the community, and reflect on how those experiences have impacted you and your presentation of leadership. Here are a few preliminary actions for you to take as you begin the process:  Review the three tiers of the program necessary for certification  Be sure to have submitted an online enrollment form that is required to participate in the program and schedule your mandatory orientation with Katie Burke, Assistant Director of LEAD (kburke19@fau.edu) or Max Wemyss, GA for LEAD at leadership@fau.edu.  Consider the timeline for completing the program  Familiarize yourself with Owl Central We look forward to working with you as you begin the process of becoming a Certified Student Leader at Florida Atlantic University. All the best, Student Involvement & Leadership Florida Atlantic University Student Union UN 220 Student Involvement & Leadership CERTIFIED STUDENT LEADER PROGRAM Overview: The Certified Student Leader program is a co-curricular certification available to students at Florida Atlantic University interested in enhancing their leadership knowledge, application, and skills through a variety of leadership opportunities. These opportunities may be tailored to students’ own interests, many of which are offered over the course of the academic year. This program must be completed in one academic year (for example, if begun in fall 2013 the program must be completed before the end of spring 2014) and students must start the program during the enrollment period (typically the first six weeks of every semester). This is an ideal opportunity for students to learn about leadership while allowing for the flexibility to accommodate their busy lives and schedules. Students who complete the program and are in good academic standing will receive a Certificate and will have the certification noted on their co-curricular transcript. Certification Requirements: In order to participate in the program you must first fill out an enrollment application, available on OwlCentral at https://fau.collegiatelink.net/form/start/24225 and you will then be contacted to set up a mandatory orientation meeting with Katie Burke, Assistant Director of LEAD (kburke19@fau.edu) or Max Wemyss, GA for LEAD at leadership@fau.edu. Tier One: Personal Empowerment and Leadership Awareness 1. Students must enroll in LDR 2010 Introduction to Leadership offered every semester beginning spring 2013. a. Should a scheduling conflict arise, please mention this in your orientation and the LEAD staff will try to work with you. 2. Must attend the Student Leadership conference (or equivalent program will be allowed based on student circumstances) that takes place every fall semester. Student Involvement & Leadership will need to approve the completed tier. Tier Two: Citizenship/Service 1. Complete 50 hours of one or a combination of the following: a. Student Organization Involvement b. Program-creation or Event-planning experience c. Internships d. Service-learning experiences e. Leadership research f. Community service g. Mentoring with a leader in your field of interest (must be cleared by SIL) 2. Students must demonstrate participation in these activities by providing support and documentation. The report should include the following (12 pt. font, double spaced): a. Summary of activities with support and documentation b. A description of your role and involvement A plan of the series of citizenship and service experiences that you will participate in must be decided upon prior to participating in them. Once they are completed with documentation, Student Involvement & Leadership will need to approve the completed tier. Tier Three: Making Meaning and Facilitation 1. Upon approval and completion of Tier Two, students should actively reflect on their experience. The final tier is about making meaning of your experiences, including how those experiences have impacted you and shaped you to become the leader you are and a presentation to be peer-evaluated with fellow program participants based on the experiential knowledge obtained. Upon completion of Tier Two, the presentation content should be discussed with SIL’s LEAD Coordinator and include theoretical application directed to empower other leaders with your experiences. Presentation dates will be determined as the program participants precede through Tier Two. A final 5 page paper (12 pt. font, double spaced) should be submitted at the time of presentation (which should also be inclusive of the below components) and include the following: a. Application of knowledge from Tier One for activities in Tier Two b. Reflection on Student Experience i. Describe your leadership experiences over the entire program ii. Identify leadership theories that relate to your experiences iii. Identify what was most valuable about this experience iv. Explain how you have evolved and transformed into a leader or more effective leader Frequently Asked Questions: Who is eligible to enroll in this program? Students must be in good academic standing in their respective college to participate in the program. Otherwise, any Florida Atlantic University student (full-time or part-time, undergraduate or graduate) is welcome to participate! How long does it take to finish the program? This will vary greatly depending on the student. Highly ambitious participants may finish the program in a semester. The program is designed for students to participate as they are available. However, students must complete the program requirements in one academic year and enroll during the open period (first six weeks of every semester). If a student does not complete the program, a student can start the program over as many times as needed to reach completion. How do students enroll in this program? Students can enroll by filling out an enrollment application that can be found on OwlCentral at https://fau.collegiatelink.net/form/start/24225 How do I track my progress? Owl Central is an excellent toll to monitor your progress and to see opportunities for program completion. You will automatically be added to Owl Central curriculums following your orientation. Contact Max (leadership@fau.edu) for any questions or concerns with progress and Owl Central. How do I find a mentor? Student Involvement & Leadership has a database of local individuals looking to work with you representing various field, careers and specialties so reach out to leadership@fau.edu! Do students need to sign up for the workshops they wish to attend? Depending on what workshops you may be interested in attending, students may be required to register for workshops they wish to attend due to high demand. Check with Student Involvement and Leadership for more information on a particular workshop or program that may be of interest to you. Why should an employer or graduate school value the Leadership Certification? Most employers and graduate schools seek individuals who have proven to be leaders, have demonstrated their leadership abilities, and have been actively involved on their campus and in their local community. Students who complete the Certified Student Leader program have participated in a wellrounded leadership and service program. How do I get certified? Certification is achieved by completing projects, attending workshops, reflecting on your learning and a final presentation. Three tiers have been identified and requirements have been set within each that needs to be met. Completion of each tier occurs when a participant meets all the minimum requirements necessary for the tier and obtains approval from Student Involvement and Leadership.