“Be a leader, not a follower!” is a familiar expression to many Ohio University students.
The Amanda J. Cunningham Leadership Center continues to preach this phrase but stresses that it is important to be led as well.
At 6 p.m. today and Wednesday, students can learn the fundamentals of leadership at the “21st-Century Leadership Series” in the leadership center on the third floor of Baker Center.
Kevin Smith, the assistant director for leadership, said the series offers students a sense of teamwork, values and ethics.
“I think that leadership is essential,” Smith said. “The more confident you are, the more engaged you are and the more character you have.”
The Leadership Series is based on the Higher Education Research Institute’s Social Change Model of Leadership and includes several different seminars.
“The series includes sections on how to build one’s own confidence and lead others and also allow others to lead you,” Smith said.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers released a study in 2008 that showed leadership as the primary quality employers are now looking for in college graduates, Smith said.
“Besides leadership skills, employers are also looking for adaptability, which is featured in the series,” he said. “We hope that people can identify and learn about themselves, and our goal is for people to become the best citizens possible, not just citizens of the world, but anywhere — whether it’d be in the workplace or at an organization.”
bc822010@ohiou.edu
