UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Students interested in learning valuable leadership skills can now enroll in an online leadership development program, "Leadership Education And Development," or LEAD, offered through Penn State Student Affairs.
In this program, students work through self-paced online modules to gain an understanding of key leadership concepts, personal leadership styles, and strategies to become better leaders. After completing all of the required modules, students will earn a non-credit certificate of completion.
"Employers in today's job market are looking for leadership, communication and teamwork skills beyond specific job proficiencies,” said Matt Barone, assistant director for service and leadership in Student Activities. “The LEAD program will equip students with a comprehensive understanding of these skills and offer techniques for applying them in their lives.”
LEAD has four required learning modules: Engaging in Leadership, Leadership Theories, Ethical Decision Making, and Multicultural Competency. Each module looks at a different aspect of leadership and contains interactive elements for the students to reflect on their own leadership experiences. In addition, the program offers six additional optional modules, geared towards best practices in running a student organization: Budgeting, Marketing, Meeting Management, Parliamentary Procedure, Time Management, and Transitioning Leaders and Organizations.
Registration for the non-credit certificate program is open and students can register at http://bit.ly/PennStateLEAD. After registering, students will be contacted by a program coordinator with instructions to start the modules.
There is no cost to participate in the program, and students interested in receiving the certificate of completion must complete all four required modules by Nov. 16. Modules take 45-60 minutes to complete and students can complete the modules at their own pace.
For additional questions regarding the LEAD program, students should contact Matt Barone, assistant director for service and leadership in Student Activities, at mtb22@psu.edu or (814) 863-4624.