F a l l 2 0 1 3 A p p l i c a t i o n f o r M e m b e r s h i p

Freshman Leadership Academy The Freshman Leadership Academy (FLA) was created to expose 1st year students to the specific duties, responsibilities, opportunities and challenges associated with all aspects of student, local, national, and international leadership. The Academy is open to all freshmen and transfer students at the university and is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

The Academy program consists of three components: bi-monthly workshops, case studies/group projects, and mentorship from upperclassmen student leaders. Opportunities may also be available to participate in an international cultural exchange. As a result of participating in the Freshman Leadership Academy students will:

Mission

The mission of the Freshman Leadership Academy is to develop individual leadership skills in a group environment through developmental training, service opportunities, and relationship building. Case Studies & Group Projects

One purpose of the Academy is to develop students who are critical thinkers and exhibit strong leadership attributes. Every month, students will test their leadership skills and knowledge attained from the workshops as they complete case studies and group projects with their peers.

• Be able to identify all constitutional and implied responsibilities of student leaders;

• Increase their knowledge of resource allocation, common expenditures, and other funding opportunities available on campus;

• Be able to identify all mid-level and senior level administrators, their duties, and how their office directly impacts students;

• Be able to relate how what they are learning and experiencing relates to the leadership experience, and its effect on underrepresented student populations (international, transfer, off-campus, etc);

• Be able to identify, build, and engage in healthy working relationships;

• Learn how to identify how Howard has historically handled challenges, and be able to research how other schools deal with the same challenges;

• Formulate an intentional plan to maximize academic success by effective time management skills;

• Interact with senior level administrators, community leaders, and esteemed Howard alumni

Workshops FLA workshops provide students an important foundation for understanding many of the basic components central to effective leadership. Each participant will be required to attend workshops twice a month for two hours. The structure of each workshop will include a discussion of a major issue affecting students, dialogue about how the issue could be addressed, and an assessment of a leadership resolution. Some of the topics that will be discussed include:

All workshops will be facilitated by a current student leader, student affairs professional, professor, or community leader either from Howard University or a surrounding university.

• Leadership 101 - What is leadership? An introduction and exploration of various leadership models and their practical application.

• Communication 101 – The importance of both verbal and non-verbal communication for effective leadership.

• Conflict 101 - Conflict is a natural occurrence. Learn how to manage conflict effectively to maintain positive relationships and make change. Also, take a simple inventory to determine what role you typically play in conflicts.

• Selling Your Leadership Skills 101 – No one will follow you if they don’t believe in your leadership skills. After you know what leadership is and identify your leadership styles, it’s time to learn how to sell those skills to others

• Finding Balance – Serving as a student leader demands time, energy, and resources that may have an adverse impact on other areas of your life as student. Learn how to balance it all.

• Heart of a Servant – One of the most important aspects of leadership is service. Learn why having the heart of a servant will propel you to new levels of leadership.

• Teamwork - Leadership is transactional. Learn why the ability to work with others will be more important than your own individual skills as a leader.

Mentorship One key to attaining leadership skills is cultivating a healthy relationship with someone who currently holds a leadership position on campus. We will match each freshman with an upperclassman from each of the following areas (depending on their interest): HUSA President, VP & Cabinet

School and College Council E-Board

Members of General Assembly

Hilltop and Bison Yearbook Staff

Mr. and Miss Howard University

Homecoming Steering Committee

To ensure success of the mentorship program, we will work directly with each student leader to identify opportunities for their mentees to experience different aspects of their jobs, including attendance at staff and e-board meeting, office hours, and attendance at events with their mentors. Students will also travel to other schools in the area (Georgetown, UMD, American, etc) to observe how their student governments are structured and how the functions of their student leaders mirror or differ from Howard’s.

FALL 2013 FRESHMAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY APPLICATION

INSTRUCTIONS: If you are interested in being a member of the Freshman Leadership Academy, please complete all sections below and include required attachments. Upon completion, please return application to the HUSA office, located in Suite 102 of the Blackburn Center. Applications are due no later than 4:00 PM on Thursday, August 29th, 2013. Please attach a resume and cover letter along with your application in a manila folder. Name: __________________________________________________________________ Address (Dorm Name)_____________________________________________________ Primary Phone: __________________ Major:______________________________ Primary E-mail Address: __________________________________________________ T-Shirt Size: Small _____ Medium _____ Large _____ X-Large _____ Other _____ 1. Please describe your previous leadership experience. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What makes you a good candidate for the HU Freshman Leadership Academy? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Based on what you know about student leadership at Howard University, what position would you be interested in attaining? (Select all that apply) _____ Executive Leadership (HUSA President, Student Council President) _____ Programming (Undergraduate Student Assembly, Homecoming, Radio, WHUT) ______ Board Membership (Trustee, Policy Boards) ______ Financial (Financial Advisor – HUSA, Treasurer – Homecoming) ______ Representative Leadership (Mr./Miss Howard University, Royal Court)

4. What is your greatest leadership quality? What trait would you like to be developed by the Academy? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 5. What other activities do you currently participate in, or do you plan on joining this semester? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________ _________________ Signature Date