Giving Back: Student Development Through a Campus-Based Leadership Scholarship Program

• In Event: Engaging and Developing Youth Leaders Through Hands-On and Service Based Learning

Short Description

With a guiding principle of giving back, students in the MP Leadership Scholars program explore the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and leadership qualities of student development in unanticipated ways. The presentation will highlight unique facets of the program including a variety of co-curricular and academic activities designed to integrate the collegiate learning experience and deepen understanding of a growing complex world.

Detailed Abstract

“What do you hope to get out of the MP Leadership Scholarship?” This is a question every candidate fields when interviewing for the opportunity to be a MP Leadership Scholar. Many students respond with generic answers of being able to enhance their leadership skills and knowledge, or increase their exposure to leadership theories and models beyond what is offered in the Leadership Studies academic program. Many enter into the Scholars program with the perspective of, “what’s in it for me,” then they learn the real value is in the notion of “giving back.” This MP Leadership Scholarship is sui generis, no other leadership scholarship is structured quite like it. With emphasis on giving back, students are able to explore the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and leadership qualities of student development in unanticipated ways. The MP Scholarship exposes students to a variety of co-curricular and academic activities to integrate the collegiate learning experience and deepen understanding of a growing complex world.

Giving back became an expectation for the MP Scholars living out the benefactor’s legacy. Approved by the university Faculty Senate in fall 2005, the undergraduate Leadership Studies Academic Minor was first opened for enrollment in the fall of 2006 in the College of Arts and Sciences. Entrepreneur and philanthropist MP made a $2 million gift to the Foundation at that time to establish an endowment to fund a student enrichment program for the Leadership Studies Program. Competitively selected, students with two years of undergraduate study at the university remaining embark on a challenging journey in order to enhance their academic and professional careers. Activities for MP Leadership Scholars include: enriched workshops and seminars, class trips and conference attendance, guest speakers, special service projects and paid or volunteer assignments with a leadership component. Opportunities such as these, have been recognized as purposeful educational initiatives in advancing student leadership development. Not only do these activities positively influence persistence and educational attainment, but they have been a catalyst for student’s sociopolitical attitudes and values, identity development, and academic aspirations. Students come from a wide array of majors and espouse ambitious career interests. Evidenced in the ten years of the MP Scholarship are the positive impacts on the campus and larger society.  

For decades, research in higher education has illustrated the benefits of co-curricular activities on student learning and development. Service learning has become a central tenant to collegiate leadership curriculums. Intentionally connecting students to the community, reported greater understanding of community problems, acceptance and knowledge of diverse cultures, and improved interpersonal relations with those of different backgrounds. It is for reasons like these, many programs have academic service learning components built into leadership introductory and capstone courses. Having students participate in community service is a key way leadership educators have reinforced the values being taught leadership theory. The MP Scholarship, however, recognizes the act of service alone is not enough to create positive leadership development in students. Therefore, MP Scholars are granted the autonomy to explore and apply leadership in common and sometimes unusual ways. Take, Brent, a chemical engineering major who joined the MP Scholars in the spring semester of 2014. He was given an opportunity through the MP Scholar program to attend the 2014 ILA Conference in San Diego. Initially at the conference, he pursued sessions discussing many of the leadership topics presented in his classes. However, Brent’s real opportunity came when he decided to attend a panel discussion on followership, a field/concept that was foreign to both he and the curriculum at the time. By the end of the session, Brent decided he had a new perspective on the interaction between leaders and followers that could not have been possible if not for the generosity of a program such as the MP Scholarship.

Upon returning to the university, he wanted to learn more about followership studies and began an independent study on the topic the following semester. At the conclusion of his study, Brent presented what he had learned to two of our capstone classes with much success. He then continued to give this talk as a guest lecture to the Problems in Leadership class every semester and still continues to this day. He now serves as the graduate assistant and has helped in adding more focus to followers and followership into the core leadership classes. Brent’s outside-the-classroom exposure to leadership scholarship had a lasting impact on how future leadership students view the role of a follower and the importance of followership even when serving in a leadership role. This update to our curriculum was Brent’s way of giving back to the Leadership Studies program that had provided him the opportunity to discover his passion of followership.

Brent’s story is one of many examples where students have gained through giving back. Other MP Scholars have emphasized civic engagement and activism, integrated leadership theory with their academic disciplines in the sciences and arts, and networked with leadership scholars, taking their learning to unexpected heights. These unique opportunities have employed students with valuable skills for the challenges of the twenty-first century. This year the MP Scholars are giving back through community service by promoting and assisting with a “Day of Service” to mark the 10th Anniversary of the university’s Leadership Studies Program. They aim to rally fellow students to help local charity groups through partnerships with local businesses and student organizations on campus. Student-led academic and co-curricular initiatives honor the donor’s legacy by giving back in these times of uncertainty.

Participants

• Cheyenne C. Luzynski, West Virginia University

• Brent A. Bishop, West Virginia University

• Lisa DeFrank-Cole, West Virginia University