Calling all Graduate Students + Professionals wanting to connect over Student Leadership Development

Are you looking to grow your network through a meaningful connection with a colleague from NASPA? Are you a professional looking to give back and invest in a grad student in the field? Are you a grad student looking to broaden your network of support beyond your current institution?

The Leadership Educators Exchange and Development (LEED) Program was created to help answers these questions. For several years the SLPKC has been hosting a Graduate Mentoring Program at the NASPA National Annual Conference. This program has served as a venue for professionals and graduate students to connect once a year at the annual conference. It has been low commitment and high reward. A few years ago, SLPKC also started hosting a Graduate Mentoring Program at regional conferences as well. This has allowed members of our field to connect within their geographic region. These programs have been a great way to help graduate students feel welcomed and connected into the NASPA family during our conference, but we realized there was a gap. Through feedback, we realized we were missing a large portion of our KC that may have been unable to attend a conference. Through assessment, we realized there is an appetite for a program that offered longer, deeper, and more meaningful connections. After several months of brainstorming, planning, and collaborating, the SLPKC is excited to launch the LEED Program in partnership with the NPGSKC!

But, what exactly is it? The LEED Program exists to connect graduate students and higher education professionals interested in leadership education through a virtual mentoring program. Through the LEED Program, pairs of higher education graduate students and professionals will virtually meet monthly to discuss student leadership theory and professional development topics to form connections and foster professional growth. The meetings would last about an hour each month. We ask that these meetings be honored like a standard 1:1 and re-occur during the same time monthly. If meetings must be rescheduled, please give at least 24 hours notice. Mentor and mentees will be matched based on submitted applications. The program is limited and application based. Participants should be NASPA members as well as members in the SLPKC and NPGCKC as appropriate. The initial cohort will be selected for their interest and commitment to engagement in the program.

What will be discussed in these monthly meetings? The SLPKC and NPGSKC will develop programming and content for mentors and mentees to discuss monthly. The monthly programming content is meant to serve as a guide and springboard for further conversations and growth. The pairs are not bound to discuss only the monthly topics. In fact, we hope the conversations become driven by the pairs to that both parties are getting what they need from this program.

The learning outcomes for the program include:

By participating in this program, mentees will:

• Increase their understanding of student leadership theories and professional development topics that are relevant within the field of higher education

• Develop supportive relationships with other leadership educators in the field of higher education

• Gain deeper connection and involvement with the SLPKC and NASPA Community

By participating in this program, mentors will:

• Increase their understanding of student leadership theories and professional development topics that are relevant within the field of higher education

• Develop supportive relationships with other leadership educators in the field of higher education

• Gain deeper connection and involvement with the SLPKC and NASPA Community

Mentor and Mentee applications are live! Applications close December 15th

If you have any questions, email me at mmperez@smu.edu.