U-LEAD is a self-guided university leadership program here at UW-L that I took part in this year. There was a Celebration of Involvement and Leadership ceremony this past Tuesday where all the participants who had successfully completed the program received their certificates. U-LEAD is a great way to get involved and develop leadership skills in your own way and at your own pace.
There are four major components of the U-LEAD program including involvement, volunteerism, cultural awareness, and workshops. The involvement category mainly entails getting involved on campus with clubs, government, and athletics either by becoming a member or simply attending a meeting/event. The volunteer component requires that you complete 10 hours of community service which can be done through a campus organization or something else in the city of La Crosse. The cultural awareness category is pretty self-explanatory in that you attend different events on campus to enhance your cultural awareness. The category of workshops involves attending 4 workshops sponsored by the U-LEAD program centered on different aspects of leadership.
Overall, I found my experience with the U-LEAD program to be very worthwhile and beneficial for me. I feel like I really did develop leadership skills in my own way and definitely had fun along the way. I believe the four categories of requirements that are designed to help you develop your leadership skills in a variety of areas did just that for me! So when you come to campus, you should consider taking part in the U-LEAD program. You can talk to your RA or simply stop by the Involvement Center in room 222 Cartwright Center for more information about U-LEAD and tons of other opportunities to get involved!
