Aerial view of WLC and MRMC

Clifton Strengths

What is CliftonStrengths?

The Center for Christian Leadership, along with many other departments on campus, use CliftonStrengths to help students better understand their unique, God-given talents and maximize their potential as a Christian servant leader.

CliftonStrengths is an online assessment tool used to discover and develop each individual’s greatest talents. Operated by Gallup, the 177-question assessment measures the natural patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. It categorizes them into 34 CliftonStrengths themes. It's a development tool - the more you use your strengths, the stronger they get - and a means of tailoring talent to task and improving performance.

The CliftonStrengths assessment has helped more than 30 million people maximize their performance by focusing on their strengths rather than their weaknesses. The CliftonStrengths program teaches students how to develop their natural talents into strengths and apply them for success in all areas of their lives.

“We have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us.” Romans 12:6a

What Does it Mean to be a Strengths-Based College?

WLC first committed to the Gallup organization’s CliftonStrengths program in 2014 to help students focus and build on the unique talents and gifts that God has given them.

WLC’s campus experiences provide intentional and structured development of each individual’s unique talents to develop the characteristics, knowledge, skills, and behaviors of a Christian servant leader.

Football coaches talking to players during a game

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

Why Strengths at WLC?

Wisconsin Lutheran College believes that:

  • Each individual is created by God with unique gifts and talents to glorify Him and serve others.
  • The recognition and development of those unique gifts and talents can become strengths that better enable each individual to carry out God’s purpose in every aspect of his/her life.
  • The intentional recognition and structured development of each individual’s unique strengths within the college’s campus experiences will help each student develop the characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors of a Christian servant leader.
Advisor meeting with a student in an office

Impact of Strengths

WLC is committed to helping students know and apply their Strengths as part of their Warriors experience.

It can be used as a resource in discussions regarding academics, advising, personal life, career, and even a student’s spiritual life. Students improve their life experiences on campus and beyond when they apply their Strengths to serve in their homes, churches, workplaces, and communities.

How the WLC Community Uses Strengths

  • Course instructors have the opportunity to use students’ Strengths in class presentations, selecting teams for group assignments, and counseling students in the assessment process.
  • Academic advisors are able to use advisee’s Strengths in discussing students’ course selection and career planning.
  • Resident Assistants may use Strengths to create more unity and teamwork on a residence hall floor. The Resident Assistants identify theirs and others’ strengths during their annual orientation to residence life and enhance their relationships with Strengths-based activities throughout the year.
  • Athletic teams may use CliftonStrengths to identify the unique talents of the coaches and players. The coaching staff uses their unique gifts to assign responsibilities in a manner that best utilizes each coach’s Strengths. They use each player’s unique talents to maximize his impact on the team’s performance.
  • Faculty and staff have the opportunity to use Strengths within their teams and departments to better understand the gifts and talents of their co-workers, while leveraging their individual strengths to enhance their team’s performance and goals.
Student taking survey in classroom
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV