Leadership Development
All first year students take URI 101, a seminar designed to help students negotiate the University system. This includes helping students plan their academic lives, enhance their academic skills, and take advantage of the many University resources available. Students will learn how to be involved in the campus experience, get assistance considering choice of major, and begin to explore career options. Most sections of URI 101 are designed for particular majors, and are part of a learning community – this means that the same 20 students in your URI 101 will be in two or three other classes together as well. It is a great way to get to know your peers, early and easily.
The Center for Student Leadership Development provides skill development workshops, seminars, and retreats, as well as peer leadership opportunities. We encourage you to consider attending the Leadership Institute (see below), registering for FLITE, and getting involved in other leadership opportunities. You may also be interested in the University’s leadership studies minor. Nine credits of core courses and nine elective credits make up this interdisciplinary minor appropriate for all majors. Look for us at Orientation, or visit us anytime on the web at www.mu.uri.edu/leadership.
Get a head start on your involvement at URI! The First-Year Student Leadership Institute is designed for incoming freshmen who want to become active leaders at URI. This weekend Institute is a combination of exciting workshops and interactive activities led by upperclassmen to promote trust, communication, diversity awareness, advocacy, activism, and the development of interpersonal relationships. The group works together studying civic, community, and social change issues. The Institute is a great start for the minor in leadership studies, but students in all majors and minors are invited. The Institute is held Labor Day weekend. The cost for the weekend is $125; limited scholarships and financial aid are available. For an application, click here.
FLITE (First-year Leaders Inspired To Excellence) is an optional three-credit course offered in the SPRING semester. The course focuses on self-development, group dynamics, and community responsibility. This course is open to all first-year students, but enrollment is limited and prioritized on a first-to-enroll basis. For more information, visit www.mu.uri.edu/leadership.
