Stevenson University’s Leadership Scholarship program offers students the chance to network, building forever relationships and gain the knowledge of working in a professional environment.
The Leadership Scholarship program was created from scratch in 2017 by Jeff Kelly (Dean of Students), Cheryl Wilson (Dean of Humanities), along with their colleagues. The program was established for students to learn professionalism, test their leadership skills, and reflect on the seminars they were taught. One of the benefits students receive are free tickets to the Baltimore Speaker’s Series, a program where students can hear advice and life stories from great leaders. In 2017, students had the good fortune of meeting David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The director of the Leadership Program is Maria Wong, Ph.D, faculty member in the Psychology department. “We are here to help students progress in their major and leadership skills,” said Wong. Students of all skill levels are part of the program. Wong said, “My approach isn’t if you miss a certain standard, you’re out, but how I can help. If a student is struggling, we direct them to appropriate resources within the university to help them out.” The goal of the program is to help all students. It is a diverse and inclusive program. Students who have learning disabilities can compete, too. If a student is struggling and not meeting the certain standards, then they will get the guidance they need in order to succeed.
Students coming into Stevenson can apply for the Leadership program, and there are numerous steps students must go through once accepted in the program. The first step is to enroll as a full-time student. The second step is the requirement that students have to keep their GPA at 2.5 during the first year. Each year as students grow and mature, the GPA expectation rises. For example, the second year the GPA must hit the 2.6 minimum by the end of the year. Students who are in the program also must complete four leadership classes.
According to Stevenson University’s website about the program, participants “engage in leadership education through personal exploration, community engagement, and collaborative problem solving.” For more information on the program, visit https://www.stevenson.edu/admissions-aid/scholars/leadership/.