Leadership UA is a leadership development program for UA sophomores and junior and is currently taking applications for the 2012-2013 class.
“The main purpose of Leadership UA is bridging the gap between the freshman level programs and when they become officers of whatever student organization they’re in on campus,” Nick Lambert, the graduate assistant for Leadership UA, said.
Lambert said Leadership UA hopes to develop sophomores and juniors so they can effectively lead their organizations on campus in senior leadership positions.
“We take them to different leadership venues that they can see first-hand leadership experience, so that when they come back, they’re able to talk about these things together to make sure that those leadership skills are developed,” Lambert said.
Last year, Leadership UA students travelled to Montgomery and met with Gov. Robert Bentley and others in the state capitol, Lambert said.
“It’s an elite organization, and we like to think that we’re really going to develop these students to become leaders of these top tier organizations such as SGA, IFC, Panhellenic, Academic Honor Council, all those different organizations,” Lambert said.
Chelsea Ellis, a junior majoring in economics and political science, said she met new people from different backgrounds through the program.
“I learned a lot about how to be polished and meet really important people,” Ellis said. “I wouldn’t really know how to shake the president’s hand or something. Just meeting people in general, I learned a lot of sociable etiquette kind of skills.”
This year, Lambert said, Leadership UA will be split into a statewide track and a global track.
“The statewide track will be similar to last year, and global track will finish with a study abroad trip in May to Athens, Madrid and London,” Lambert said. “Each year is going to have a different theme depending on what’s going on around the country and around the world.”
Lambert said this year’s theme is economics and encouraged students interested in the field to apply.
“It’s something you might not be able to find in other organizations to really develop your leadership skills,” Lambert said. “Once you graduate, your experience isn’t over. You can carry that into your job or whatever you decide to do after college to really keep further developing those skills you’ve learn through the programs.”
Applications are due Thursday by 4:45 p.m. in the dean of students’ office in 230 Ferguson. The application can be found online at dos.ua.edu.
“Go for it,” Ellis said. “You don’t really know until you get it. You’re not going to get it unless you try. It really is such a big opportunity.”
