The Archer Center offers custom-designed workshops for student organizations and coordinates several leadership programs and events. Center staff facilitate courses and work with faculty across the campus to develop interactive formats for classes and laboratories.
Professional Leadership Program (PLP)
With a focus on intellectual agility, global awareness and multicultural sophistication, the Professional Leadership Program (PLP) is designed to give junior and senior students the opportunity to practice becoming strong, resilient people of great character who can translate that into a professional workplace. The PLP is designed to emulate a professional environment, with a special emphasis on applying leadership skills to the workplace. An experiential approach is utilized to provide students with the opportunity to enhance their leadership style,skills and philosophy.
Focus on the Workplace
Through guest speakers and interactive experiences, PLP students explore the impact of changes in the global market, how to adapt to them, and how to operate successfully in the global community. Corporate culture and values are examined, while students discover what to expect as leaders and followers in the workplace.
The PLP provides valuable opportunities to meet, interact, and network with corporate executives. Students will learn to assess if a company or organization is a good fit for them. They will also learn how to present themselves powerfully. By sharpening individual and team skills, students begin to develop important tools for success in today's work world.
The application and selection process is an important part of the PLP experience. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors from all academic disciplines are invited to submit a resume and cover letter which illustrates interest in the PLP.
To apply, submit the following information to the Archer Center for Student Leadership Development, via email to henrys3@rpi.edu:
- Resume
- Cover letter
Professional Leadership Series (PLS)
The Professional Leadership Series is designed to assist graduate students in the development of their leadership and teamwork skills by focusing specifically on communication skill sets. Through experiential learning, students are exposed to specific leadership theories and skills. The seminar series encourages students to explore their beliefs about leadership and professional development in a discussion format. This learning approach is designed to promote further development of students’ leadership abilities. Communication in multiple forms will be emphasized.
Graduate students who would like to register for PLS or would like more information about the program can contact: Judith Obiero, obierj@rpi.edu
Leadership House
Leadership House is a shared-interest residential community that allows approximately 40 first-year students the opportunity to explore leadership through fun, hands-on activities and interactive workshops. Students participating in Leadership House become more aware of the complexities of leadership and how they apply to life at Rensselaer and beyond; all while developing close friends as they reside in a supportive community on a common floor within a specific residence hall.
Leadership House is designed as a full year experience during which time students have the opportunity to examine leadership through a variety of topics including:
- Goal Setting
- Leadership Styles & Characteristics
- Communication
- Teambuilding & Team Dynamics
- Conflict Management
- Values Clarification & the Appreciation of Differences
- Decision Making
Throughout the course of the year Leadership House participants will:
- Examine leadership theories, their applicability, and their implications.
- Identify essential elements of effective leadership in practice.
- Analyze personal values and link them to goals and vision.
- Articulate their own understanding of the purposes, processes, and practices, of leadership.
- Develop a personal leadership philosophy.
Leadership Performance & Acceleration (LPA)
This program will focus on authenticity, humility, service, ambition, and mentorship to achieve each organization and club’s best total leadership solution. A special focus on creating a positive networking relationship between participants.
Sessions are on Wednesdays at noon.
For information about registering for this program, contact Jordan Vener: venerj2@rpi.edu