On Oct. 19, the participants in the Emerging Leadership Institute (ELI) had the opportunity to meet many Rollins’ leaders, Interim Provost Joyner, and Dean Karen Hater during the Leaders’ Dinner in the Galloway Room. ELI is a Rollins Immersion Program taking place this weekend in inner-city Orlando that was organized by X-Club, the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, and the Office of Community Engagement. Eighteen first-year and sophomore students were selected to be members of the ELI class of 2010.
All the participants are thrilled to have this unique, exciting opportunity and are anxiously awaiting the weekend. Mitch Verboncoeur ’14 stated, “I’m stoked. This program seems like a great way to exercise my global citizenship and responsibility to make a meaningful impact on my global community.”
Amy Teixeira ’14 is also excited. “Leadership is the basis for success; I am excited to be an integral part in the success of the Rollins community.”
Jennifer Ritter ’13 is also looking forward to the program. She applied for ELI “because I am already in several leadership positions, and it seemed like a good idea to get some experience outside of my comfort zone.”
Hater and Joyner gave a few words to help kick off the evening. After congratulating the students on their wise decision to attend the weekend, Dean Hater went on to describe college as a laboratory, “a chance to try new skills and hone in on those skills in order to be able to go out as comfortable adults.” Provost Joyner also gave words of congratulations. She described the core to leadership as “knowing who you are and to be intentional about whom you are becoming.”
Throughout the meal, the younger students had the opportunity to talk with a variety of leaders on campus representing different organizations including Student Government, J.U.M.P., The Sandspur, and fraternities and sororities as well as the students and staff who are running the weekend retreat and subsequent Leadership Ally Program.
For the next two semesters, the students participating in ELI will work with a faculty or staff member to confront an issue on campus. The combination of the ELI experience and collaboration with a faculty member should allow the participants to become better leaders; in the words of Meredith Hein, Assistant Director of the Office of Community Engagement, “leaders with a purpose.”
Alexis Riley ’13 is looking forward to the leadership skills she will develop at ELI and the opportunities it will provide for her and the Rollins’ community. “It’s very exciting to participate in an integrated learning experience with so many prominent leaders on campus that I would not have met otherwise. Interconnectedness is often integral to the over all success of campus organizations. By facilitating this process, ELI is providing the campus with promising leaders and more unified organizations. “
Everyone, both the participants and leaders, are looking forward to this weekend’s immersion trip. One of the facilitators of the program, Raghabandra KC ’13, is looking forward to the after effect of ELI as well. “ELI is just the beginning.”
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