Important tips for designing a student leadership program

Madison, Wis.—September 30, 2008 — Student leadership programs are proliferating at colleges and universities. But what makes an effective student leadership program? A very important component is a strong design that enables many other components to work together in a way that works for student learning, said Dr. Darin Eich, educational consultant, during this recent Magna Online Seminar.

What is often left out is the most powerful experience, says Eich, of practicing leadership away from the program. Actually leading something outside of the leadership program helps students learn about leadership as they apply their new skills.

Going well beyond presentations and readings, Eich showed how an effective leadership program can:
• Be more experiential
• Help students develop strong relationships with each other
• Allow students to practice leadership for real purposes, and
• Allow students to reflect on what they’re doing

During the program, Eich discussed best practices drawn from recent research on student leadership that will help to improve leadership training programs.

Eich provided important questions that will help in assessing student leadership programs and identifying best practices that may best fit a program or campus environment.

If you missed the seminar and would like to purchase it for your institution, you can order the program in CD or print transcript format, both of which include the presenter's handouts.

Magna Publications is a leading publisher of newsletters and other information products in the higher education segment. Magna also manages onsite and online conferences on topics of interest to higher education.

For more information please contact David Burns, Publisher, Magna Publications, Inc., at 608-227-8109, or dburns@magnapubs.com.