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First class leadership program one year later
By Rosa Fonseca
Whalesong Staff
Most of the students
who entered the leadership program last spring didn’t know
what to expect. A year after being in the SPC 218/418 Leadership
Communication, and taking up positions as campus leaders, these
students are not aware of the impact it caused in their lives as
students.
“It was such a leap! Things just started happening,”
said Micah Nelson, now a senator with student government. “The
Leadership Program gave me the drive to want to work with the university
and be involved with the interworkings of UAS.”
Justin Whittington, who serves in various leadership
roles said, “It all started with the leadership program.”
He is a student ambassador, a Student Government senator and representative
in the Coalition of Student leaders. He also participates in the
System Governance, an advisory board to the president of University
of Alaska.
“I learned to listen and appreciate other people’s
point of view,” said Whittington. He applies the quality of
a good listener in all the positions he assumed. He said, “I
am able to listen to what students think is important.”
Michelle Martin is also a careful listener in her leadership
position. As part of the program, she became a student mentor for
PITAS (Preparing Indigenous Teachers for Alaska Schools) at UAS.
“I am able to check on students, tutor and guide the ones who
need assistance,” said Martin. According to her, the leadership
program not only provides students with connections to organizations
outside of campus, but also provides a college student’s perspective
to those organizations and to local students who would like to know
more about UAS.
Kecia Medina was surprised with the knowledge techniques
she has gained from the readings in the leadership class. “I
found myself, on more than one occasion, mentally referring to the
literature I had read in order to help solve an immediate dilemma,”
she said. Medina also enjoys the connections she has in almost every
department. She said that when she walked down the halls of UAS
this semester, she felt it was her duty to help wherever and whoever
she could, whereas before it was just the “nice thing”
to do.
“The leadership program has taken the “me” and made
it a “we” in my life. This has helped me define and shape
my style of leadership,” said Medina.
The interest of the students in the leadership class
was mainly in expanding horizons, and even for the ones who had
other goals in mind, the program was important. Summer Dorr, one
of the student writers for the Whalesong and now a correspondent
for Teen People magazine, participated in the program and found
it great. She said, “It opens doors and helps and you get known.”Vicki
Orazem, vice provost for student success, recently announced a ceremony
for “our best and brightest” as she calls the student
leaders. On Jan. 17, in the new classroom building, there will be
the First Student Leadership Award Banquet, where the Chancellor
will award certificates of achievement and personally thank the
2002 students for their efforts on behalf of UAS.
It is exciting to participate actively in a learning
community. As Chris Grinder, student leader and Community Advisor,
said, “I have the ability to see that I can make a difference
for UAS.”
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