Who we are | What we do | Social change model | Student resources | class readings

The following are leadership events designed by the Leadership Team:

JumpStart

Syracuse University offers a six week SummerStart program to help ensure a smooth transition from high school to college for many of our students.  The ORL leadership team supports this program by offering a comprehensive five phase leadership development program to help students increase self-awareness, contribute positively to group dynamics and become more engaged in the SU campus and broader community. 

Leadership Night

Leadership Night is a conference-style leadership development program geared towards members of ORL’s community council student leaders, Residence Hall Association (RHA), National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH),  South Campus Organization for Programming Excellence (SCOPE) and Learning Communities Activities Board (LCAB) but open to all residence hall students.  Each year, nearly 150 students participate.  Over eighteen sessions include topics such as individual and group development, citizenship, diversity and multi-culturalism, leadership styles, programming and goal setting.  Recent presenters have included professional staff  and student leaders from across campus.  Prizes are awarded for spirited individuals and delegations.

SU Gets Real

SU Gets Real is a new initiative inspired by elements of reality television shows The Apprentice and America’s Next Top Model.  The goal of this initiative is to engage student leaders in focused leadership skill development over an entire semester, and it is open to all residential students!

Here’s how it works: on a biweekly basis, student organization representatives receive “Otto Mail” at Residence Hall Association (RHA) meetings, priming them with a clue for the week’s challenge.  During their next general body meeting, participating student organizations receive challenge details from their advisors and students have a designated amount of time (usually 30 minutes) to complete a creative task.  These challenges required the group to work together to develop and demonstrate leadership skills in a variety of areas.  Points are awarded for every organization that participates, with additional points for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.  Who will be named this year’s SU Gets Real champion?  If you’re interested in participating, please contact your assistant residence director.

PAF 121/GOLD Class

The PAF 121/GOLD experience is a leadership training and development course offered by ORL within the Public Affairs Program.  The course utilizes the Social Change Model of Leadership Development as a philosophical back-drop for self-exploration and skill-building.  A service requirement provides students with a learning lab for practicing and processing their insights into leadership and civic responsibility.  One section is offered during the Fall Semester for members of the LEAD floor learning community and another section is offered during Spring Semester for the general student populations as well.  If you’re interested in signing up for this course, please contact Michelle Murray at mmurra04@syr.edu.

Students of Color Retreat

ORL’s Leadership and Diversity Committees will host the ninth annual Students of Color Retreat on November 7-8, 2008 at the White Eagle Conference Center.  This overnight retreat is designed to teach and practice leadership skills as well as to discuss and address the unique needs students of color have within a predominantly European American campus community.    Students are nominated by faculty and staff, and nearly 40 students participate each year.  Sessions are facilitated by staff representing various departments within the Division of Student Affairs, including the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Office of Student Life.  Interested students should contact Michelle Murray at mmurra04@syr.edu or Michelle Singletary at msinglet@syr.edu. 

The Summit

The Summit is a leadership retreat for the upcoming Executive Boards of RHA, NRHH, LCAB and SCOPE, and the newly hired Mentor Resident Advisors.  These five groups represent the major student leadership groups within ORL.  This retreat represents the kick-off of  these students into their positions, and provides them with some skills to begin their journey.  Further, our intent is that each student group will retain its unique niche within Residence Life and develop ways to work collaboratively on programming initiatives.  Presenters come from members of the ORL Leadership Team as well as advisors of the five groups.  Additionally, the current executive board members of these groups participate in a session focused on easing the transition of roles and values.  Nearly 60 students participate in this event annually.

Student Leader Resources

Is your student organization facing challenges that you’re struggling to resolve within your group?  We may be able to help!  Our leadership team is comprised of both professional staff members and experienced student leaders with great resources and a commitment to developing leaders.  We offer consultation and we are available to meet with you or your group to discuss ways that we can help you.  If interested, please contact Michelle Murray at mmurra04@syr.edu. 

And So Much More…

Members of our leadership team help coordinate the LEAD learning community program, serve as advisory members for the Q Youth Center Transformational Leadership Initiative, facilitate LGBT Ally training, and lend our support to leadership initiatives throughout campus and the community.