Inspiring Leaders Certificate Program

Diamond Optional Classes

Beyond Shaking Hands and Taking Names

Networking skills are a great way to expand and stretch your civic leadership abilities. Although this skill may seem intimidating and overwhelming, this course will train you to interact with others and learn to effectively network without memory. In order to be seen as a community leader, one must know how to meet, interact, and maintain connections.

Managing and Facilitating Groups

Would you like to improve your club's passion and membership base? Leadership skills are truly put to the test when challenged to lead a club or any group. In this class, participants will be taught how to plan meetings, contend with group politics, overcome biases, delegate, tasks, and encourage all members of the group to engage. Chances are high that students will be on a board of directors someday-if they are not already. Perhaps it's a corporate board or the local YMCA or farmer's market; regardless of the setting, this course will offer a greater understanding of collective decision making and the skills necessary for success. The course covers the characteristics of a "good meeting" and ways to achieve active, effective group participation, and recruiting and managing volunteers.

Red State, Blue State, What do you State?

Ever feel lost when a group is talking politics? Would it be helpful to know what terms like liberal,Republican, left-wing, or party-platform mean? In this class, participants will learn the basic of political language and take a values test to help them develop their own political attitudes and civic values, important parts of being an effective community or public leader.

Managing Media

Regardless of where your life takes you, civic leaders need to understand the importance of marketing, public relations, and the media. This course provides an overview of the types of media, the role of media relations, and covers specific skills as writing press releases, working with reporters, pitching stories, writing letters to the editor, and the effectiveness of various types of paid advertising. We will discuss effective uses of multi-media in presentations and how to handle tough questions.

Clear and Concise Writing

Effective written communication skills are necessary for a leader to achieve the goals and change he or she strives toward whether writing to a legislator or summarizing an event for a supervisor. In school, students are taught to write long and detailed answers, but after college memo writing is typically how leaders communicate. In this class, participants will learn the purpose of a memo, writing with the audience in mind, and proper structure and format. Students will be writing a memo summarizing their experience in this course as part of the certificate's reflection.

Grant Writing: Tap the Potential

how does one go about writing a grant proposal? Expand from what you learned during "Mo' Money, More Problems? Part I" by being able to participate in a simulated grant writing for the group and funder of your choice. Learn the preparation, structure, and method to grant writing by starting to draft one of your own. Whether students see themselves working in government, non-profits, education, or a private firm, the world of grants and revenue generation this will apply to you! Please note: Participants should come with ideas for projects to be funded by grants to this course.

Have you participated in any of the following events?

If so, submit a reflection summary to receive one optional Diamond credit.

(1 event = 1 optional diamond credit)

Other Approved Optional Diamond Credit Options:

Polidazzle

Day-at-the-capitol

Attend 3 Politics and a Pint Series*

**This can be alternatively fulfilled by attending one Politics and a Pint and blogging about the event*

Other McCarthy Center panels, speakers, and events*

**As publicized*

Access the Other Optional (Diamond) Credit Options reflection link page