Passport to Leadership
Who better to design a student leadership program than a student leader? Arianna Figueroa ’16, a sociology/anthropology major, is the architect behind Passport to Leadership, a Student Life program that helps undergraduates shape their leadership development and apply their experiences to future endeavors–including life beyond Lewis & Clark.
“Passport to Leadership gives students a chance to reflect and engage with their own experiences and to understand they don’t need an official title to be a leader.”Arianna Figueroa ’16
Dean of Students Anna Gonzalez helped launch Passport to Leadership during the 2014–15 academic year. The program grew out of a desire to enhance the leadership skills students were already gaining through their work in clubs and classes. “We wanted to give students ways to think critically about leadership, put it into practice, and engage with other members of the Lewis & Clark community,” explains Figueroa.
The program is structured as a series of workshops inspired by the core competencies in the Division of Student Life: leadership, diversity, career, and wellness. Participants attend a minimum of seven workshops related to these topics over the course of an academic year. Students who successfully complete the program receive a notation on their transcript and a certificate and honor cord at graduation.
Each interactive workshop is led by a facilitator who has extensive practice employing leadership skills both on and off campus. Fall 2015 facilitators included student body president Daniela Lopez ’16 and Career Center Director Rocky Campbell ’00. More than 100 students are participating in this year’s program.
Story by Sarah Bucknovitz ’17
