Ohio State’s Center for Student Leadership & Service:

Ohio State’sCenter for Student Leadership & Service: A foundation of traditional skills to meet the needs of tomorrow’s student leaders

Session Agenda • Welcome and Introductions • What is the Center? • Planning Process • Theories and Trends • Successes and Challenges • Center Components • New Ohio Union

Welcome and Introductions • Jen Pelletier • Assistant Director • 7 years with the Ohio Union • Responsibilities with student leadership programs, overall Center planning • Adam Burden • Coordinator of Student Involvement, The Ohio Union • 4 years with the Ohio Union • Responsibilities with student organizations, workshop and retreat resources through the Center

Welcome and Introductions • Who’s Here? • Name • Institution/Company • Job Responsibilities • Why This Session?

What is the Center? • Campus-wide, comprehensive, centralized point of connection • Involving promotion of existing, and hosting of new opportunities • Involving in-class and out-of-class experiences • Will be housed in the new Ohio Union

What is the Center? • We strengthen and transform personal leadership through a breadth of experiences • We develop socially conscious individuals in community • We connect people and resources to create an inclusive environment that fosters innovation and lifelong action

What is the Center? • If the physical structure is the “body” of the Union, the Center represents the “soul” of the Union • Building relationships and community • Developing leadership skills • Learning civic responsibility • Appreciating diverse worldviews

Planning Process • Initial planning retreat in May 2006 with faculty, staff, student attendees from across campus • Planning team initiated to continue work from the retreat • Informational interviews conducted with departments across campus in 2006-07 • Student surveys completed in spring 2007 and winter 2008

Planning Process • Additional informational interviews with graduate and professional programs in summer 2008 • Center website launch and program marketing in autumn 2008 • Compilation of Student Life opportunities initiated in autumn 2008 • New program design ongoing

Student Leadership Surveys • One administered in Spring 2007 to student organization leaders and members • Focused on leadership knowledge and skills • One administered in Winter 2008 to random sampling of all students • Focused on Ohio State experiences as related to involvement

2007 Leadership Survey • Students identified these leadership skills as most important to their involvement in an organization: • Communicating clearly, enthusiastically • Listening Respectfully • Time Management • Building Cohesive Teams

2007 Leadership Survey • Students identified leadership skills as areas where a discrepancy exists between its importance and their skill level: • Publicizing Events • Developing a Budget • Building Cohesive Teams • Goal Setting in a Group

2008 Involvement Survey • 83% of involved students state they feel connected to the University compared to 61% of uninvolved students • 74% of involved students feel they are learning as much outside the classroom as in the classroom compared to 66% of uninvolved students

2008 Involvement Survey • 68% of involved students have built relationships with faculty compared to 56% of uninvolved students • Involved students state they plan to be a more engaged alumni and donate to the University

Academic Performance • All-Undergraduate Average – 3.07 • Of the 940 student organizations: • Presidents Average – 3.40 • VP Average – 3.39 • Treasurer Average – 3.38 • Greek Life • All-Greek Average – 3.18 • OUAB • Executive Board Average – 3.40

Theories and Trends • Theory • Social Change Model of Leadership • Servant Leadership • Management v. Leadership • Trends and Benchmarks • Coordinating leadership on campus • Bridging leadership and service • Combination of academic and co-curricular components

Academic Trends • From information gathered through NCLP website: • 44 campuses list their co-curricular programs • Benchmarking report of 176 co-curricular programs available from NCLP • 17 campuses (of 24) self-report hosting a leadership minor or certificate program • 8 campuses (of 24) self-report hosting a leadership major

Trends at Delegate Campuses • Brief and Informal Benchmarking: • Looked at union/student center websites from 37 campuses (of 187 attending campuses) • 25 campuses have leadership programs directly tied to, or housed in the union/student center • 22 campuses have community service programs directly tied to, or housed in the union/student center

Trends at Delegate Campuses • Office Names Included: • Leadership and Involvement • Leadership or Student Leadership • Campus Life or Student Activities • No office (direct report to the union/student center) • Linking Leadership and Service • Only 4 campuses directly linked leadership and service or civic engagement initiatives in one area

Successes and Challenges • Great number and variety of existing programming across campus • Creating new initiatives that would not have existed without the new Center • Interest and support from alumni donors for existing and new programs • Building partnerships across campus with Student Life and Academic Affairs (little bit of both)

Successes and Challenges • Establishing a new Center with limited and revolving staffing and financial resources • Marketing a new Center without a physical space • Facility design completed before Center concept completed • Gaining buy-in from Student Life departments, when the Center is largely managed by one department

Cohort Programs • SERV Team • Group of 20+ students who plan community service programs • Events include Community Commitment, MLK Day of Service, Alternative Breaks, critical issues, and volunteer referrals and placement • Over 28,000 hours of volunteering each year

Cohort Programs • Mount Leadership Society • 2-year scholars program focused on leadership and service • Students participate in regular meetings, monthly service projects, and complete a “year of service” • Recently transitioned from University Housing (learning community) to report more directly through the Center/Ohio Union

Involvement Opportunities • Leadership & Service Clearinghouse • Online, searchable database of involvement initiatives and academic courses • Any department or opportunity may be included • Information compiled from interviews with nearly 40 campus constituents

Involvement Opportunities • Workshop and Retreat Network • Collection of people and topics available to student groups for leadership development consultation and/or facilitation • Piloted program with Ohio Union staff, expanded campus-wide in winter 2009 • New retreat guide also available

Involvement Opportunities • Student Leadership Advocates • New group of students trained as peer facilitators for workshops and retreats • Group established and trainings began in autumn 2008 • Consultation and facilitation services began in winter 2009 • Ongoing training meetings focus on refining skills, leadership theory

Involvement Opportunities • SAIL Conference • Single-day student leadership conference • Includes a combination institute- and conference-style sessions • Presenters included Student Life staff and graduate students • Transitioned from University Housing to Center/Ohio Union in 2008-09

Involvement Opportunities • Teachfor America partnership • Emerging partnership to better recruit and prepare Ohio State students for TFA Corps • Involves jointly-planned preparation workshops, staff advisors for 1:1 meetings, and awareness marketing campaign

Academic Initiatives • Existing and new courses in partnership with College of Education and Human Ecology • Introductory course offered both for intact groups and open enrollment • New courses offered in 2009 • Winter: focused on self-assessments, transformative leadership • Spring: focused on global perspectives on leadership

Academic Initiatives • Initial conversation among Academic Affairs and Student Life units in autumn 2008 regarding leadership initiatives across campus • Continuing conversations in January and April 2009 with new “leadership educators” group • Hope to lead to conversations about a new leadership minor and/or major

Publications • e-Leader student newsletter • Quarterly, electronic newsletter • Leadership and Service Anthology • Annual compilation of awards, inductions, research, and other outstanding involvement on campus • Website • Leader Sheets, online resources

Existing Initiatives • Awards • Retreats open all students and for intact groups • Service projects and referrals • Student Organization involvement and resources

Coming Soon! • Ellenwood Leadership Fellows • Board Immersion Project • Coaching and Consultations • Graduate/Professional student programming • e-Portfolio • Global leadership and diversity integration

Now Available! • http://ohiounion.osu.edu/csls • Leadership and Service Clearinghouse • Workshop Network & SLA • Retreat Guide • Event Calendar online • e-Leader publication and resources

New Ohio Union • “Where memories are made and leaders emerge” • Project planning began in September 2004 • Former Union was decommissioned in 2007 • New facility on schedule to open in 2010 • Features include: • Ballroom space, meeting rooms, student services offices, campus dining, scarlet and grey branding, LEED certified

Ohio State’s Center for Student Leadership & Service: