Journey Leadership Program

Students who participate in the Ram Academy Retreat will:

• Learn about leadership concepts and theories and be able to apply these concepts and theories to their lives
• Engage in critical thinking about leadership through activities and discussions
• Explore what it means to create a diverse and inclusive community
• Learn how to be an effective group member by engaging in small-group learning activities
• Learn about involvement opportunities and resources at Suffolk
• Develop significant relationships with peers and facilitators
• Learn how they can apply what they have learned in the classroom, in their personal live, and as a student leader

Suffolk University (Boston, MA), Augustana College (Rock Island, IL) and Maryville University (St. Louis, MO) have teamed up to develop a cohort-based experiential leadership program that explores and develops the skills of various student leader positions on campus. The three cohorts of students converge on Washington, DC and use our nation’s capital as the site for an immersion experience. Students visit national monuments and learn about leaders of the past and their leadership styles; for example, how Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. were both transformational leaders. Participants also engage with current political and civic leaders in the DC area. This four-day program not only builds relationships with students other institutions, but also gives them an understanding of leadership styles and best practices.

Students who participate in the Washington, DC Leadership Program will:

• Become familiar with and reflect on the leadership styles and theories embraced by national heroes
• Embrace leadership as responsibility, a privilege, a vocation, and a right
• Build relationships with students from other institutions
• Think critically about their organizational structure and impact on campus
• Think critically about their individual role and how to effectively communicate with others
• Clarify and assess individual leadership values and personal and professional values related to leadership and character
• Develop a better understanding of their own character and leadership style
• Learn how to effectively work within a team in an autonomous environment
• Learn how they can apply what they have learned in the classroom, their personal lives and as student leaders

Leadership Winter Break is the level-three signature event that is divided into two sections. During the first part, students travel to Crystal River, Florida to swim with and learn about manatees. The idea of "Kind Play" is taught and executed when interacting with the manatees. For the second portion of the trip, students are given the opportunity to learn about the Disney leadership philosophy and management style. Students learn about how leadership works in an environment outside of the Suffolk community. Disney Cast Members facilitate three different leadership modules.

Students who participate in the Leadership Winter Break will:

• Examine the challenging concepts of power, influence, and ethics
• Realize that leadership affects every aspect of business and that everyone has the opportunity to exhibit leadership traits and behaviors
• Understand the various meanings of social groups, the general implications of group membership, and the different ways that groups function
• Comprehend conflict, cooperation, and interdependence between individuals, groups and institutions
• Effectively use mental processes to identify similarities and differences
• Learn how effective leaders overcome barriers and challenges to achieve business results
• Reinforce a healthy self-image by contributing to the overall efforts of a group
• Learn how they can apply what they have learned in the classroom, their personal lives, and as student leaders

The Aiken Leadership exchange is the level-four signature experience that pairs cohorts of students from two universities—Suffolk University and the University of South Carolina, Aiken—and engages them in citizen-centered initiatives, both in person and virtually. The program connects students with leaders from the non-profit community, as well as with the political, business, and health care sectors. Here, the aim is to facilitate a greater understanding of a social issue and to create a project focused on contributing to long-term culture change, a hallmark of the citizen-centered philosophy. The program is supplemented with leadership training to build a student’s capacity to understand and contribute to sustained positive change. Upon completion of the program, student groups will develop a plan to address the social issue experienced in each community. Suffolk students travel to South Carolina in February and University of South Carolina students come to Boston in April.

The Global Leadership Exchange allows students, especially those who might not otherwise have an opportunity, to have an international experience while at Suffolk University. This six-day program will engage student leaders is discussion with other college students in Barbados, incorporate visits to institutions of higher education in Barbados, and present rich the culture and history of the island. In addition to networking opportunities with other student leaders, the program will focus on the history behind Barbados gaining its independence and freedom from slavery.

Students who participate in the Global Leadership Program (Barbados) will:

• Learn about the history and culture of Barbados with a focus on Barbados’ gaining its independence and freedom from slavery
• Learn about the higher education system of Barbados and engage with other student leaders on the college campuses in Barbados
• Learn about the Barbadian government and some of the challenges the country is facing
• Learn how they can apply what they have learned in the classroom, their personal lives and as student leaders