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Two Fall Semester Leadership/Social Change Courses

If you're interested in developing your skills as a leader and agent of change, consider signing up for one of two fall semester courses:

Foundations of Leadership Development- 3 credits
PSYC 216 & EDUC 216 (cross-listed); Wednesdays 4:30-7 pm

This course is designed to expose students to principles and practices of leadership, incorporating opportunities to implement what is learned.  It is a highly interactive course that requires extensive in-class discussion.  The main goals are to help students better understand themselves, develop intercultural competence, communicate effectively in group settings, develop an ethical decision making process, value civic engagement and actively apply leadership skills.

Student quotes from anonymous course evaluation forms:

“The interactions in class and activities inherently enhanced learning about the subject”
“This was an immensely helpful and enjoyable class with a very unique style of learning the material”
“I have recommended (class) to several friends”
 “Should be a required course if possible for all majors”

Please contact Lee Calizo (calizo@umbc.edu) with questions.

Civic Agency and Social Entrepreneurship- 3 credits
AMST 205, POLI 205  SOCY 205 (cross-listed); Tu-Th 11:30 am–12:45 pm

I teach this class with Delana Gregg, Assistant Director of the Sondheim Public Affairs Scholars Program. Students in this course read, think and talk about ideas and examples relating to the process of social change. They also work in groups to choose a social problem or opportunity and develop a practical project to create change at UMBC or in the wider community. Projects developed by students in previous semesters have included creating a basketball league for homeless men in Baltimore, putting up black and gold banners across the UMBC campus to build school spirit (you walk past them every day), setting up new applied research opportunities for UMBC undergraduates, developing new health and wellness resources for UMBC students, and installing hydration stations to discourage bottled water use on campus (the first of these has been installed in the Retriever Learning Center).

Just like in previous semesters, we plan to engage exciting guest instructors to help students build their skills and hone their ideas. Last fall’s lineup included UMBC Provost Phillip Rous, Vice President for Student Affairs Nancy Young, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education Diane Lee, SGA President Catie Collins, Shriver Center Director Michele Wolff, and faculty members Brigid Starkey and Lee Boot.

If you have questions about this course, feel free to email me (David Hoffman, dhoffman@umbc.edu).

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Posted: March 27, 2012, 1:45 PM