Christian Leadership Certificate Program

APPLICATION PROCESS

• Complete and submit application and recommendation by March 26 of your freshman year.
• Applications will be reviewed by the Executive Director of the Center for Christian Leadership.
• The Center for Christian Leadership will schedule a 30-minute interview for you with the Executive Director of the Center for Christian Leadership. The interview will give you the opportunity to discuss your leadership program application and make sure any questions you have about the program are answered.
• Applicants will be notified by email whether or not they are accepted into the program.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

• Applicant must complete 30 credit hours with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
• Applicant must demonstrate the highest standard of behavior and exhibit strong Christian character.

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RECOMMENDATION FORM

The Christian Leadership Certificate Program consists of five activity areas: Mentorship, Academic, Leadership Learning, Commitment to Service, and Leadership Initiatives. Each activity area has its own requirements as detailed below.

1. MENTORSHIP

Mentors are experienced people who provide information, advice, support, and encouragement to less experienced people, often leading and guiding by example.

Students will select a mentor from outside the Wisconsin Lutheran College community, whom they identify as a leader, and cultivate a relationship with this individual throughout their college career. Students will include a reflective essay on the lessons learned from their mentor, and how they plan to apply these lessons in their lives as Christian leaders.

2. ACADEMIC

Two courses from WLC's academic catalog are required. For each course, students will submit a one-page reflective essay OR approved creative project demonstrating how their perspective on leadership has been impacted by the course's curriculum and assignments.

• All students will complete COM 333 "Leadership and Communication" with a grade of C or better.
• All students will complete COL 300 “The Leadership Lab” with a grade of C or better.

3. LEADERSHIP LEARNING

(10 hours/year minimum; total of 30 hours for certification)

• Participation in on-campus leadership workshops/seminars and speaker series.
• Participation in off-campus leadership workshops/seminars requires approval from the student's leadership coach prior to attending.

Hours must be logged in the Leadership Portfolio within seven days of the date of completion of the workshop, seminar, etc.

4. COMMITMENT TO SERVICE

(20 hours/year minimum; total of 60 hours for certification)

Jesus was the consummate example of the "Servant Leader." Jesus' words to his disciples give us a clear picture of this teaching: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:45

An integral component of Christian leadership is service to others. In this activity area, students are asked to put those ideals into practice. Students will be required to complete service opportunities both on and off campus using the following guidelines:

• A maximum of 20 hours of service may take place on campus.
• 10 hours of off-campus service must be dedicated to serving a church or Christian organization.
• Hours of service are exclusive of activities that fulfill other requirements for certification.

5. LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES

Students are required to complete two Leadership Initiatives. One initiative should be done individually, and the project completed as part of the COM 333 class qualifies for meeting this initiative. The other initiative must be done in a team format of two to three students. All students in the program must participate in the Serve2Lead Impact Challenge at least once during their time in the program. Participating in the challenge would meet the Team Leadership Initiative and is a great opportunity to impact the community in a positive way. To successfully complete each Independent Leadership Initiative, a student must:

• Identify a problem/need in the community.
• Promote awareness of this problem/need to others.
• Organize a group to address the problem/need.
• Measure the effect of the initiative.

Each Leadership Initiative requires documentation of the effectiveness of the initiative according to the categories listed above and reflection on the process. The student will use a variety of media (photos, video, website, etc.) to present the results of one of the initiatives to a campus/community group.

A minimum of one Leadership Initiative must address an off-campus problem or need.

As students complete the different activity areas, they will update their Christian Leadership Development Portfolio (CLDP) and continue to build it throughout program.

Upon completion of the program, students will submit their updated CLDP, write a brief reflective essay, submit three letters of recommendation, and complete a final presentation.

Once the final stages of program are completed and approved by the Leadership Committee, students will be recognized for all of their leadership work by being presented with their Certificate in Christian Leadership during an awards ceremony.