Leadership Training & Development

Leadership Education and Development Program

The online leadership development program is designed to help students learn more about themselves, others, and to gain a general understanding of important leadership concepts.

The program offers four unique modules to help students learn more about the following concepts:

• Engaging in Leadership
• Leadership Theory
• Ethical Decision Making
• Multiculturalism

Additionally, students can choose to complete any of the following optional modules.

• Budgeting
• Marketing
• Meeting Management
• Parliamentary Procedure
• Time Management
• Transitioning Leaders & Organizations

The ten modules are all available to be taken anytime by current Penn State students, faculty, and staff in Canvas. Individuals may self-enroll in the course to access the modules. To earn the certificate students must complete the four core modules by Friday, December 2.

Please note that any professors or University departments who plan to mandate their students complete the entire LEAD program must contact the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement at leadership@psu.edu prior to asking students to sign-up. Please contact leadership@psu.edu with any questions or requests. 

Student Organization Workshops

Workshops are requested by student organizations on campus looking to improve various aspects of their groups' dynamic. Student Organization Consultants will build and lead a group of ice breakers and team building activities aimed at meeting the needs of your organization.

If you are interested in requesting a customized workshop for your organization, complete our request form below. To effectively address your organization's needs, we ask that you give us at least 2 weeks notice before the workshop date. Thank you!

Workshop request form

The Summer Leadership Conference is a three-day conference that brings Penn State student representatives together from across the Commonwealth. Participants attend several workshops aimed at enhancing their leadership, citizenship, and networking skills. 

For questions about the conference, please email leadershipconf@psu.edu. 

2023 conference

Date: August 1-3, 2023

Location: Penn State Behrend

Registration: Registration information will be available after spring break. 

Vision

The Penn State Summer Leadership Conference will provide a challenging and motivating experience for participants where they will learn to be empowered, confident leaders, personally and professionally, and will be inspired to lead purposeful lives while upholding the Penn State values.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• Enhance essential skills and competencies and identify areas for further exploration and development in the pursuit of leadership excellence; specifically ethical decision making, creative education and innovation, group dynamics, and conflict management.
• Explain the importance of embracing a diverse and inclusive community and how those relate to multicultural competency.
• Define their leadership values and philosophies through self-awareness exercises.
• Demonstrate how their role as a student leader at Penn State can be applied to their future.

Administration

We have gone electronic! This year the Statement of Expectations, Photo Waiver, and Pre and Post Assessment are all online forms. Once your student delegation is submitted, we will send them individual emails requesting they complete these forms and communicate any missing documents to the campus contact.

Please remember that all students are required to sign the expectations agreement prior to arrival. This will be included in all pre-assessment information.

The Lion Quest retreat is coordinated through the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement and is a dynamic experience designed to take you through multiple facets of your personal leadership. The retreat will use StregnthsQuest, a tool that has been used in both educational and vocational settings to assess your natural talents and strengths. As a strengths-based leadership approach, participants will discover, and learn how to maximize and apply their strengths as an individual, a student, a member of a student org, an employee in the workplace, etc. Participants will leave with a better understanding of themselves and how to make an impact on the Penn State community. Visit the StrengthsQuest website to learn more.

Lion Quest will take place every Fall and Spring semester at Camp Blue Diamond, approximately 30 minutes from campus (transportation included). Participants will sleep in cabins and will receive lunch, a snack, and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. Participants will be guided through this leadership program with additional time built in for outdoor (or indoor) activities and s’mores!

The price to participate is $20 which includes transportation, meals, lodging, Lion Quest gear, and your individual CliftonStrengths inventory. Payment plans and fee waivers are available for those that find themselves in financial need. Your registration is not complete until you have submitted your registration fee.

Important Dates

Spring  2023 Lion Quest: TBD

Please e-mail with questions to leadership@psu.edu 

The Penn State Leadership Institute is an innovative leadership retreat
designed for undergraduate students at University Park to build meaningful
connections with their peers.

This six-day leadership development experience fosters a collaborative and
engaging environment for students to grow as an individual, a professional,
and a community member. The Leadership Institute views leadership as a
process, not a position so leaders of any level of experience are encouraged
to apply.

What will I gain from this experience?

Participants of the Leadership Institute will engage in developing transferable
skills and a personal practice rooted in commitment to creating positive
community change.

At the end of the six-day experience, participants will:

• Embrace and align their core values with personal interests and aspirations
• Increase their capacity for empathy, working with others, and self-motivation
• Develop their ability to forge meaningful relationships based on respect and support
• Discover and explore an ongoing, active role in their community

Testimonies from 2018 Participants:

What was the most impactful part of the institute?

"The relationships that I have been very lucky to have been given the opportunity to make. I feel like I could have made some lifelong friends".

"Creating spaces for interaction and conversation between a more diverse range of PSU students. I really loved and appreciated this. This is NOT common at Penn State".

Important Dates

• Applications Open: TBD
• Application Deadline: TBD
•  Participant orientation: TBD
•  Penn State Leadership Institute: TBD

Frequently Asked Questions

• When is it?
  The Leadership Institute will typically take place the week after graduation each May.

• Where is it?
  Camp Blue Diamond (transportation provided there and back to campus)

• How much does it cost?
  The total cost per student is $100. If this directly impacts your ability to attend the Leadership Institute, please contact us at leadership@psu.edu.

• Who is eligible to go?
  The Leadership Institute approaches leadership as a process, not a position. All students, regardless of their leadership experience at Penn State are encouraged to apply.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so participants are only able to go through this experience one time.

For more information or if you have questions, please contact us at leadership@psu.edu or call 814-863-4624.

What is the Global Engagement and Leadership Experience?

The Global Engagement and Leadership Experience, as the name implies, is a "global" leadership opportunity. What does that mean? At GELE we explore our ability to interact across differences; both at the individual and group level. Our trained facilitators work to guide you in your understanding of self, while also providing opportunities to learn about the cultures of others. The skills you need to work across differences ("intercultural") are important no matter your major or future career goals. 

What will you take away from this experience? 

• A certificate of attendance 
• A personal Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) profile 
• Friendships and an expanded professional network
• Preferred placement in other Global Penn State student leadership opportunities

Qualifications to apply?

• Full-time student status 
• An interest in self-growth

Learn more about the Global Engagement and Leadership Experience