OCULeads: the President’s Leadership Class program teaches students in a living and learning community.
Incoming freshman can apply to be a part of OCULeads, a program that takes students who have already exhibited leadership qualities and provides them with resources to further those skills. President Robert Henry began the program in 2001 as a one-credit class. During the fall semester, the selected students were connected students with faculty, staff, administrators, and distinguished speakers, who introduced various leadership styles. In the spring, the students applied that knowledge, working together to organize Fire & Water, a ceremony for freshman to celebrate the end of their first year.
The program’s format changed last year into a living and learning community. All OCULeads students lived on the fifth floor of Walker Hall in an environment meant to promote co-curricular activities outside the classroom. Additionally, instead of a one-credit course, the OCULeads class became a three-credit liberal arts seminar, which administration accepted as the students’ required LAS class. During the spring semester, students were no longer enrolled in a class. They were asked to meet once a week in their fifth floor lobby to plan the Fire & Water ceremony.
“I enjoyed getting the opportunity to live with fellow OCULeads peers,” said Kourtney Pierce, elementary education sophomore. “It allowed me to take full advantage of working on group projects, and I really got to know my class.”
OCULeads will continue in the same form as last year, but the second semester will become a one-credit class, as opposed to an informal weekly meeting. Facilitators will also bring back the OCULeads retreat, a tradition that was discontinued last year.
“I thought the living and learning community made a retreat unnecessary, since students would be together all the time,” said Lesley Black, associate dean of students. “I decided I prefer the benefits gained from a retreat, though. After the first week of classes, the group will go to Canyon Camp in Hinton to participate in various activities and start thinking about leadership.”
Former OCULeads students may become sophomore advisers, helping coordinate and execute the retreat and OCULeads class.
“After meeting all the members the other day at the President’s house, all I can say is we have some amazing leaders coming in this year, and I can’t wait to see how they work together in the program and beyond in both their college years and after they graduate,” said Evan Juedeman, business administration sophomore and OCULeads adviser. “OCU Leads is an amazing organization here on campus, that really cultivates new student leaders in our community each year, honing their skills in servant leadership.”
OCULeads kicked off the year with a parents’ welcome reception on Aug. 16, where students and their families met President Henry. He spoke to the group, giving them an introduction to the class and encouraging them to think critically.
To join OCULeads, incoming freshman must fill out an application by Feb. 1. The application consists of GPA, test scores, a resume, and a writing prompt. After submissions close, a selection committee, consisting of Black; Amy Ayers, dean of students and vice president of student affairs; Russ Tallchief, director of student engagement, inclusion, and multiculturalism, and Tasha Casey-Loveless, associate director of admissions, evaluates the applications. They review involvement, past leadership, and look for original writing prompt responses.
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