The Department of Residential Life revised a program previously called Leadership XChange to give residents an incentive to get involved at MU.
The program, which is now called Tigers Leadership Education and Development, was changed to incorporate leadership positions and events at MU to give students living on campus to experience what MU has to offer and expand student involvement.
The program was created in part by Leadership and Educational Resources adviser Luke Gorham, who supervises the leadership advisers for all residence halls.
One of the main goals of the program is to inspire students to acquire leadership roles on campus.
“My hope is that our students will realize their individual leadership potential and use it to work with different organizations and departments on campus to help better the communities they serve in college and the communities they will serve when they graduate,” Gorham said in an email.
Residential Life based the program off the Social Change Model of leadership development, Gorham said. The model focuses on an individual’s leadership skills so he or she can better student organizations and the community.
“The program gives residents the chance to explore their leadership potential by getting involved in residence hall events, campus-wide programs, and activities that provide opportunities for learning, leadership and service,” according to the program description of Tigers LEAD.
The program operates around three facets: the individual, the group and the community. Members of Tigers LEAD will aim to discover their own beliefs, work well in a group setting and reach out to the MU and Columbia communities.
Every student living in a residence hall is automatically signed up for the program. Students are encouraged to get in contact with their hall’s leadership adviser to develop a plan to complete the necessary activities on campus. Such activities include evaluating one’s leadership style, attending meetings for student organizations and completing community service hours.
At the end of the school year, there will be a leadership recognition ceremony for participants who completed the program. This ceremony will recognize two groups of students: those who fulfilled the requirements and those who also completed an optional Culminating Leadership Project.
Tigers LEAD is an important program in Residential Life because research has shown students involved in leadership roles get better grades, graduate at higher rates and have better college experiences overall, Gorham said.
“This leadership program will give residents the chance to be a part of something special,” Gorham said. “They will realize their leadership potential, the importance of serving others (and how to do so), and how to create positive social change in the communities in which they live and lead.”
The program also serves a larger purpose in the scope of MU, Director of Residential Life Frankie Minor said.
“The mission and goals of Residential Life are closely aligned with those of (the) university, which includes developing future leaders and citizens involved in their community,” he said. “The Tigers LEAD program provides great opportunities and practical training to help our students be successful leaders on campus and beyond.”
Students can find more information on the program’s Facebook page, “Mizzou Tigers LEAD — A ResLife Leadership Program.”
