The Office of Student Life is proud to provide a variety of formats for students to participate in developing the leader within. Whether participating in a peer group setting, finding real-work leadership opportunities on campus, or attending one of our many workshops, there is room for everyone to develop leadership skills while attending ASU-Beebe. Student Life's leadership programs are strategically designed around its "Lead the Charge Framework," supporting the learning outcomes outlined in Student Life's ARCH Campus Life Curriculum.
In return for service on-campus, students that participate in the college's various leadership programs (SGA, SLE, or Leadership Scholars) qualify for scholarships, free one-on-one leadership training, invitations to attend regional and national conferences, and the eligibility to join our leadership field experiences to places like Dallas, TX, Memphis, TN, New York City, NY, and Washington, DC.
Student Leadership Development Opportunities
The Student Government Association (SGA) serves as the official student voice to the ASU-Beebe administration, the Board of Trustees, and the Arkansas Legislature. SGA's mission is to represent the interests of students and increase student decision-making power, to improve campus life through the creation and continuation of viable and effective student services, to preserve and protect the traditions of the college, and to support students and student organizations in their academic and community endeavors.
If you're interested in making a lasting impact on campus, join your campus student government by volunteering on a committee, apply to be appointed as a Student Senator, or run for office in campus elections.
The Student Leadership Experience (SLE) opens the door to personal growth and achievement here at ASU-Beebe and beyond. Whether you plan to transfer to a four-year university or start directly in the workforce, the SLE provides benefits to help students on their successful journey to excel in the program’s three core values of advocacy, service, and inspiration.
Emerging Leaders (First-Year Students)
Your first year in SLE will be focused on assessing your personal leadership strengths and developing a Personal Leadership Plan you will use for the rest of your life. By working in small peer groups and attending larger campus-wide events, you will be given the opportunity to explore your personal development into an extraordinary leader, find leadership opportunities on campus, and be prepared to lead others after college. To receive a nationally recognized Certificate in Foundations of Leadership, students will be required to attend the Leadership Orientation Day, six peer group sessions, six LEADTalk Lectures, and complete the Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI).
Peer Group Study: The Student Leadership Experience is designed to provide personal and impactful opportunities for students to create individual leadership development plans focused on evaluating themselves, improving their skills, and liberating the leader within. Students will work in small peer groups during the semester and meet seven (7) times over the course of the academic year. Since group participation is important to the success of the peer group, all are required to attend at least five (5) of the seven (7) meetings.
LeadTalk Lectures: To expose students to examples of exemplary leadership, the Office of the Student Life will hold seven LEADTalk lectures open to the entire campus community. Each lecture will provide foundational information supporting the peer group sessions and will be immediately followed by an interactive breakout session. To ensure SLE students engage in these opportunities to personally meet and engage with the lectures, participants are required to attend five (5) of the seven (7) lectures.
Student Leadership Practice Inventory: The Student Leadership Practice Inventory (LPI) is an evidence-based assessment of where a student is on their leadership journey. Analyzing 30 behavioral statements, the LPI, created specifically for use with undergraduate college students, incorporates the Student LPI instrument (completed by the Student Leader) and the Student LPI Observer that gathers valuable 360-degree feedback from teachers, coaches, teammates, co-workers, and others who have direct experience of the individual in a leadership role.
SLE values that self-discovery and self-awareness are essential to developing our capacity to lead. As a result, all SLE participants are required to complete and analyze the Student LPI in a peer group setting.
Ethical Decision Making: When ethical dilemmas arise, a natural tendency is to react too quickly to resolve the issue or pretend we didn’t notice. A necessary component of leadership is the ability to make tough decisions for the greater good of the group by engaging in a process that includes intentional reflection before action. In this session, we will focus on the importance of ethical decision-making and the impact these decisions have on providing effective leadership. Student leaders will learn how to apply practical tools to handle moral dilemmas when there is no straightfoward answer.
Strategic Communication: Every team or organization needs a strong vision and mission statement to set the foundation and tone for shared goals. Through this session, learn how to develop a vision and mission statement that connects to shared goals and how to establish a strategic communication plan that will allow your organization to grow stronger internally and communicate your purpose externally.
Team Development: Learn how to make the most of working with a team. We’ll help you discover how to capitalize on the strengths of your teammates and how to motivate groups around a shared sense of ownership and mission. We’ll explore common phases of team development and how to prepare for each and keep your team moving forward.
Leading in a Diverse Environment: Incorporating components of the Relational Leadership Model, this session will help participants explore their privilege and how privilege and power have implications in the leadership process. Participants will undergo self-assessment and engage in dialogue with one another about the elements of privilege, power, cultural competence, inclusion, and social justice. Students will explore how these concepts can be positively applied to their leadership journey.
Understanding & Facilitating Change: In this session, students will learn the skills and practices necessary to adapt to organizational change and navigate the complex process to facilitate change. Students will learn the process of the Change Curve and understand the principles of Kotter’s Change Model.
Personal Leadership Philosophy: In this session, you will culminate your experience by creating your own leadership philosophy. A leadership philosophy is a product of discerning your core values, turning those values into operating principles, and integrating those principles into a coherent statement of how you intend to lead in life.
The Summit: ASU-Beebe Student Organization Leadership Conference
RSO officers and advisors are highly encouraged to join the Office of Student Life on our Heber Springs campus at Sugarloaf Mountain. This one-day experience is created for student leaders of Registered Student Organizations at ASU-Beebe to provide new and experienced student leaders with the tools and knowledge to successfully lead their organizations and utilize the available resources provided on campus.
The free conference is held on a Saturday in September. It will include a plenary session on recruitment and marketing, breakout sessions focused on officer roles, and outdoor team building.
Student Organization Training
The Office of Student Life offers registered student organizations workshops tailored to the needs of your specific organization. These workshops are designed to support our student organizations by giving student leaders information about how to spend funds, manage budgets, and lead effectively, as well as all of the benefits of being a registered student organization. To request a workshop, contact the Office of Student Life at 501.882.8906.
Workshops
Leadership Scholars receive a scholarship for $1,000.00 a year ($500.00 per semester) that can be applied to any cost to attendance at ASU-Beebe (including tuition, fees, books, housing, meal plan, etc.) Each year, ASU-Beebe selects 24 students to serve as ambassadors for the college. They are provided one-on-one leadership training, given opportunities to practice community & college service and serve as NSO and SLE group leaders.
Leadership training experiences include attendance at national and regional conferences, opportunities to have hands-on campus leadership roles, and eligibility to join our leadership field experiences across the country. For example, in past years, students traveled to Memphis, TN, to learn about civil rights by visiting the National Civil Rights Museum. They also participated in a student leadership development day at the Arkansas State Capitol, participated in a lecture by former First Lady Laura Bush, and traveled to Washington, DC, where they attended a private dinner with US Senator John Boozman, who gave them a private tour of the United States Capitol. These are just a few examples of the incredible opportunities afforded to our Leadership Scholars.