Join the leadership program that helps you to make the most of your first year
What if somebody told you that a talent isn’t something that you’re born with, but something that develop every day? That sounds like an obvious thing to say, but every time that we see very talented people at work – be it an amazing artist, a passionate community leader, a brilliant scientist or charismatic Instagram profile – there’s often a little voice in our heads that says ‘oh, I could never do that’ or ‘I’m just not gifted like that person is’.
The truth is that ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ carries more weight in life than we’d like to think. The brilliant artist, community leader and scientist each developed their own way to motivate themselves, find meaning in their work, and most of all, accept the responsibility that comes with working toward a goal.
The same goes for leadership. There are no born leaders – leadership is an action that must be performed; it's not a state of being.
So why not put that into action during your first year?
After all, you're attending a post-secondary institution to fill your brain with important lessons. Why not build up your own unique leadership identity in the process? If the answer is yes, then the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is for you.
Running from September through to April, you and approximately 200 new students will take part in a host of exciting opportunities throughout the year that include
- Two fun and meaningful leadership retreats for fall and winter
Develop your leadership skills while connecting with your peers during the Fall and Winter retreats. Take part in activities such as Leadership Lifeline, ImpromPPTu (present a randomly given topic), getting-to-know you icebreakers like 2 Truths 1 Lie and Speed Friend-Making, and workshops on topics such as empathy, servant leadership, and storytelling where you’ll get to learn more about what being a leader means.
- Topic-focused workshops
Get to know more about the services of other campus offices while learning about topics such as Intercultural Competency from the International Student Services, Conflict Management from the Student Conduct Office, Navigating Relationships from Student Wellness Services, and Life Design from the Leadership and Student Engagement Office.
- Fun activities
In addition to workshops, ELP will provide participants with socials either hosted by the LSE and the Peer Helpers (e.g., movie nights, ice cream trips, visiting downtown, etc.) or a different office within university (e.g., the Women’s Resource Centre’s Ted and Tea, the Faith and Spirituality Centre’s Taste of Tuesday, etc.).
Meet with a mentor or a buddy
ELP gives you the opportunity to be paired with a buddy(an undergraduate senior student) or a mentor (staff/faculty/alumni/graduate student). As all new students have questions when beginning university, these people volunteer to guide you in your first year.
- Choosing the mentor option
A key reason why most mentors volunteer their time is to help others reach their goals. Navigating academia and your career afterwards is a daunting proposition, and for most of us, it’s helpful to discuss your concerns, hopes and ambitions with somebody else who shares some of the same values. The best part about having an older mentor is that they’ve done this all before, and even though they might not be on exactly the same path as yours, their insights can prove very useful to somebody just starting out.
- Choosing the buddy option
The buddy option allows participants to be mentored by someone in a relatively closer standing (i.e., both of you are undergraduate students). However, like a mentor, they will guide and assist you with your first year. They can provide a more first-person look at the student experience, being current students themselves.