The Department of Student Programs oversees three leadership development programs: SOAR, Leadership University and club and organization leader training.

SOAR

The Department of Student Programs and Leadership is proud to sponsor the SOAR Leadership Program.  The department believes in student learning through social, intellectual, spiritual, cultural, and interpersonal development.; the SOAR program, based on the Social Change Model, embodies these beliefs.    

The Social Change Model emphasizes the need to understand self and others in an effort to create community change.  It is less about the leader and more about the leadership community.  The model is inclusive in that it is designed to enhance the development of leadership qualities in all participants - those who hold formal leadership positions as well as those who do not.  A leader is not necessarily a person who holds a formal leadership position or who is perceived as a leader by others.

The process of leadership cannot be described simply in terms of the behavior of an individual; leadership involves collaborative relationships that lead to collective action grounded in the shared values of people who work together to effect positive change.

According to the model of leadership there are seven critical values of leadership which fall into three levels:

Level I  The Individual: EMERGE

Congruency -  Thinking, feeling, and behaving with consistency, genuineness, authenticity, and honesty

Consciousness of Self - Awareness of the beliefs, values, attitudes and emotions that motivate one to take action

Commitment -  Motivational energy to serve and that drives the collective effort.  Commitment implies passion, intensity, and duration. 

Emerge is designed to help freshman gain a greater sense of self knowledge through leadership.  This level is intended for students who are interested in developing their leadership skills in preparation for leadership positions. 

Level II  The Group: DEVELOP

Collaboration - Working with others in a common effort.  It constitutes the cornerstone value of the group leadership effort because it empowers self and others through trust.

Common Purpose - Working with shared aims and values.  It facilitates the group's ability to engage in collective analysis of the issues at hand and the task to be undertaken.

Controversy with Civility - Recognizes two fundamental realities of any creative group effort: that differences in viewpoint are inevitable, and that such differences must be aired openly but with civility. 

Develop is designed to help sophomores/juniors learn about leadership; this level is intended for students who have recently taken on leadership roles on campus. 

Level III  The Community/Society: LEAD (Coming Fall 2007)

Citizenship

Leadership University, Spring 2008

Leadership University is designed to bring together new and returning student leaders for networking and skill building.  The first component of Leadership University is a one day conference in April.  The second component is a half-day program in August prior to the opening of the fall semester.

Desired Learning Outcomes

• Gain practical skill sets to assist in the successful performance of leadership roles.
• Obtain knowledge on how to motivate oneself and others in a group or team setting.
• Examine the role of interdependence as it relates to being an inclusive leader.
• Discover ways to manage conflict with civility within teams and groups.
• Network with other student leaders to build trust and foster areas for collaboration..
• Gain skills to assist in growing inclusive and regenerative student groups.
• Share areas of programmatic growth to enhance the quality of student programs.
• Obtain knowledge on how to practice self renewal as a means of promoting wellness.

New Focus on Theme Tracked Sessions

• New (Emerging) Leader
• Returning Leader
• Club Officer (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Committee Chair)

Staff Mentor Opportunities 

A new opportunity is being created to match student presenters with seasoned members of the Roger Williams University staff who are willing to serve as mentors in the session proposal and development processes.