By: Jess Larkin ~Copy Editor~

The Sophomore Leadership Challenge (SLC) returns next semester.

The challenge, adapted from the book “The Student Leadership Challenge” by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, is a four-week program in which sophomores go through intensive challenges to sharpen their leadership skills on campus.

The challenge gives sophomore students the opportunity to learn more about what it takes to be a leader and to reflect on their experience.

Sophomore students attend four sessions about leadership over the course of four weeks and later complete the challenge. After completing the four sessions, sophomores choose six challenges from a list of activities in different categories.

They complete the challenges and later write a short reflection regarding their experience.
Students who complete the four-week intensive challenge and reflection become eligible to attend the high-ropes course at Camp Kern. Eligible students for this semester will be attending Camp Kern on Nov. 8.

While the program focused on leadership in general, it also practiced what it means to be a leader on Xavier’s campus.

Some challenges include going to a club meeting, meeting with a professor during office hours and running for a leadership position on campus.

“It was interesting to put what leadership is into words,” challenge attendee Colleen Kaminski said. “So often we as people are leaders and don’t even know it. It was inspiring to be affirmed in the things we were doing right, but also to be challenged to do new things.”
Some students found that the information offered through the challenge was helpful for their career prospects as well.

“Most of the activities I do center around improving my leadership abilities as I am in an officer program for the Marine Corps,” sophomore Zach Moeller said. “Each week we tackled a new aspect of leadership and discussed it with those around us. It was very informing and helpful as it provided us with aspects of leadership we may not have thought about or practiced beforehand.”

Students can attend the SLC without signing up. Any sophomores who are interested can to email xuleadership@xavier.edu.

The next session is from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 in room 214 in Gallagher Student Center.