The Power Series, a leadership-development program for ASU students, kicked off with its first seminar Friday at the Downtown campus.
Ronald Briggs, the coordinator for Residential Community Education for the Department of Student Engagement at ASU, hosted the first of eight free seminars that will be offered this semester at the Wells Fargo Student Center in downtown Phoenix.
The seminars are intended to provide ASU students with the tools they need to be better leaders and to excel in their future careers.
The seminar titled “I’m in a Leadership Position: What do I do now?”
focused on helping participants realize the factors that help or hinder an organization and their role within these organizations.
The seminar was in a small-group setting. The six students who attended were required to participate in team-building exercises, complete personality tests and reflect on the various qualities that distinguish a leader.
“A lot of students come to college for a lot of different reasons and at the end of the day they’re all going to get a job,” Briggs said. “These different sessions give them different tools to help them be successful.”
This particular seminar was part of the Power Series, a multifaceted program at ASU that requires students to participate in various team-building activities, and attend seminars and conferences in pursuit of a Power Leadership certificate. All students who earn the certificate will be honored at the Dynamic Downtown Devil Recognition Ceremony on April 14.
Christina Hernandez, a coordinator for New Student Programs and Traditions at the Department of Student Engagement, said the series is a leadership program in its third year at ASU’s Downtown campus. The program offers students leadership training in areas such as customer service and how to deal with conflict.
In addition to leadership training, the program requires the participating students to join one organization of their choice, attend at least one conference, four seminars and six activities held at the Downtown campus.
Eight students earned the Power Certificates last year, and more are expected to earn a certificate this year.
“In a real-world profession, leadership is always something you’re going to need,” Hernandez said. “We’re hoping through this, you will be able to gain leadership qualities to help you be more successful in your future careers.”
Briggs says that one of the difficult parts of being a leader of an organization is managing time and the various personalities in an organization.
Through the various seminars and conferences, students can learn how to manage these things while helping other people in an organization to be successful.
In addition to these qualities, Rebecca Herrera, a nonprofit leadership and management junior, said the Power Series is an informative program that helps students develop more as leaders.
Through dialogue and group activities, the program helps students to recognize their specific role in an organization.
“It helps students to think about the greater cause of their student organizations,” Herrera said.
Reach the reporter at daniel.baxley@asu.edu.
