'LEAD IU' workshop unites student groups

The first ever LEAD IU: Retreat for Student Leaders Committed to Campus Improvement will be held Nov. 13 in the Indiana Memorial Union. Students who signed up by the Nov. 1 deadline will take part in a 12-hour workshop aimed at developing leadership skills.\nJennifer Jacobs, a graduate student in the Higher Education Student Affairs Master's program, has been coordinating the event. She has garnered support from sponsoring organizations like La Casa, the Student Alumni Association, Auxiliary Services and Programs and the Council for Advancing Student Leadership.\nJacobs said the workshop was put together in response to student leaders' requests for an opportunity to come together.\n"(Lead IU) is a collaboration of a variety of student groups," Jacobs said. "(The conference) is about making more out of college than just going to class."\nJacobs said many campus organizations, like the Asian Culture Center, have their own ways to develop leadership with their members. LEAD IU is a way to combine all the different types of leadership training under one umbrella, and work as a campus, not as an individual.\nJacobs said the LEAD IU workshop will be different from other leadership conferences because there is a new facilitator, Peter Smithhisler from the North American Interfraternity Council, and new curriculum. Jacobs said the main themes of the workshop are "collaboration, character and community." Members of the IU staff will lead smaller sessions during the workshop.\nDirector of Student Activities Steve Veldkamp has been helping with the organization of LEAD IU. Veldkamp said groups might discuss how they can contribute to campus subjects like IU's diversity program and civic engagements. Developing personal skills, applying personal skills to an organization and working toward the betterment of IU's campus are items Veldkamp said will be heavily focused on.\nVeldkamp also said the best part of an opportunity like LEAD IU is seeing how the University comes together.\n"It's neat to see so many departments realizing the need to organize," Veldkamp said. "Together (the student organizations) can change things faster."\nAlthough this is the first LEAD IU conference being held, IU holds other leadership building opportunities for students. The Student Alumni Association holds a six-day conference in January called Leadershape, a national not-for-profit organization that also focuses on student leadership on college campuses throughout the nation. Jacobs said LEAD IU is a choice for students who might not be able to come to the Leadershape conference or aren't able to give up the six days for it.\nMany organizations will have student representatives at the conference, but Jacobs said being a leader isn't strictly limited to those involved with a group. Being "committed to something you love" or encouraging others, Jacobs said, are leadership characteristics than many students on campus possess.\n"Leadership is not just a position or title," Jacobs said. "There is just as much room for quiet leaders and role models as those who speak out."\nSenior Dan Shapiro, director of student organization support for the IU Student Association, said he is helping to facilitate the retreat and is looking forward to building his leadership style while representing IUSA.\n"(LEAD IU) is a great way to show student leaders what student government is and hopefully draw some into our organization," Shapiro said. "This a great way to build relationships with other groups. We hope to share some of our resources in order to help groups get new members and be successful."\nShapiro also said having the organizations come together gives leaders a chance to "share techniques and strategies" for achieving goals.\n"If groups work together, they can help each other meet some of their overlapping goals," Shapiro said. "It's hard not to listen when many students speak and work together."\n-- Contact staff writer Ashley Lough at amlough@indiana.edu.