Program offers leadership training

A program sponsored by the IU Alumni Association will give students the chance to sharpen their leadership skills and to network with others during a six-day leadership institute. \nIU's campus session of the LeaderShape Institute will be held Jan. 2 to 7 at the Waycross Camp and Conference Center in Morgantown, Ind. \nThe highly acclaimed LeaderShape Institute is a learning experience that works to shape college students into skilled leaders, according to the group's Web site. Since 1986, more than 20,000 participants from around the world, including more than 18,000 students from more than 500 colleges and universities across the United States, have graduated from the program. \nSondra Inman, IU Alumni Association director of student programs and program coordinator for the upcoming IU campus session of the LeaderShape Institute, said IU first offered the session in 2000. She said student leaders of the Student Alumni Association had previously attended national sessions of the program, and their positive experience led to a movement to bring the program to IU. This will be the sixth time a session has been held exclusively for IU students, Inman said. \nInman's personal experiences and the reactions she has heard from students who have graduated from the program reflect a positive outlook on the LeaderShape Institute. \n"I have been involved with the program since 2005 and only know of students who have had an amazing experience," Inman said in an e-mail. "I participated as a member of the facilitator team in the summer of 2005, and that week stands out as the single most powerful and life-affirming time of my life."\nJunior Kristen King, president of the Student Alumni Association, said she applied to the institute early in her college career to get more involved on campus. \n"I wanted to get more involved and be more active on campus," King said. "The institute is free, and I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity." \nInman said the cost for the six-day program, about $1,450 per person, is covered by IU through sponsors including the IU Alumni Association, Procter & Gamble, the Office of the President, the IU Foundation, IU Student Association and Residential Programs and Services. \nKing said the program is designed around a variety of self-assessment, leadership and team activities that participants complete. During the week, she said, participants are separated into small groups called "family clusters" that consist of 10 to 12 individuals. \n"There are a lot of personality tests and a variety of leadership and team-building activities during the six days," King said, "but everything is geared around the same concept of creating a visions statement of how you want to impact your life, school or the organizations you're involved in." \nKing pointed out memorable events during the activities, such as skits and a team-building rope course she completed. \nKing said since the institute cuts into winter break, some people might be turned off from attending the program but said she still feels it is worth attending. \nSenior Sean Cork, vice president of leadership development for the Student Alumni Association, said he has been working to raise awareness about the LeaderShape Institute and the benefits students can receive by attending. So far, Cork has spoken to about 30 different student groups on campus. He also said he has asked several faculty members, who have shown great leadership, to attend the event as team facilitators. \nCork has attended the LeaderShape Institute in the past as well and said the program does a great job of teaching important leadership skills as well as long-term goal planning and networking. \nApplications for the LeaderShape Institute are due Friday. Students can apply online at www.alumni.indiana.edu/saa. Faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate students for the program by contacting Inman at seinman@indiana.edu.