The Leadership Development Center held two sessions this week, one about staying secure in cyberspace and the other dealing with violence prevention.
The two sessions are just some that the center has held throughout the semester, with the goal of the center being to train and develop faculty and staff.
Erin Strain, the director of the center, oversees the creation of these events. Some courses offered in the past include ones on technology, interpersonal skills, management, cognitive diversity, health and wellness, emergency preparedness and prevention.
Last week the center held an event called “Being Bullied in the Workplace”.
“It was really great because we got to see all aspects of the SRU community here,” Strain said. “We had different departments and students which helped bring different perspectives to the table and individuals who would not have necessarily had the opportunity to come together were here.”
Strain said the new class ideas are driven by a specific need or a suggestion but overall there’s a diverse group of presenters and attendees.
One suggestion came from SRU President Cheryl Norton.
“Cultivating a respectful community has been emphasized by the president, so some of the classes really dive into that message,” Strain said.
The center also offers leadership labs for students.
“If a faculty member has a class and there is a unit may be dealing with leadership, we design an experience to meet the faculty’s objective for the students,” Strain said. “The experimental lab gives the students the opportunity to really define what the means through actions.”
Strain said a lot of new SRU students get a chance to build relationships through the center.
“We work a lot with FYRST seminars, different clubs and CAs in the residence halls,” Strain said. “It’s a way to engage students, for them to get to know each other, and have fun.”
The Leadership Development Center includes a building for traditional instruction and has a Leadership Reaction Course outside, which is of a military design. Within the course, there are assigned tasks and resources to address the situation. To get through the course the team has to come to a solution to execute a task. The woods and areas around the facility also are used in different initiatives that range from a high level or low level of challenge, but Strain said all are designed to build teamwork and self-confidence.
