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Illinois Leadership Center

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Leadership Certificate

What is the Leadership Certificate?

The Leadership Certificate is a multi-semester structured program designed to provide students with a customized experience to help develop leadership skills in a way that integrates many of the Center's other programs and services. Certificate students are matched with a Leadership Coach to partner with during the program and create a Leadership Portfolio documenting their leadership growth upon completion. The Certificate Program is grounded in the Illinois Philosophy of Leadership which states that "all students can exercise leadership" and a skills-based model of leadership development.

Why should you get a Leadership Certificate?

Completing the Certificate will increase your leadership skills by setting personal leadership goals, collaborating with a Leadership Coach, and participating in various structured leadership experiences.

Why get a Certificate when there are so many other leadership opportunities on campus?

• Structure - The program gives you specific requirements to meet that guarantee growth in a structured, yet personally tailored process of development

• Flexibility & Freedom - Go at your own pace and choose activities, classes, groups, conferences, etc. that interest you and that you want to be a part of and that interest you

• Support- You will receive access to peer and professional staff members who serve as resources, as well as the one-on-one relationship you will develop with your Leadership Coach

How Can I Start?

Begin your Leadership Certificate today! The enrollment periods to begin the Certificate occur during the first 12 weeks of each Fall and Spring semester. To get started, simply:

1. Login to our website and register for an Orientation Workshop under the 'Certificate' tab.
2. After attending an Orientation Session, confirm your intent to begin the Certificate by submitting your Statement of Intent
   • If you are joining in the Fall semester, your Statement of Intent is due November 8
   • If you are joining in the Spring semester, your Statement of Intent is due April 9
   • It is highly recommended you have 3-4 semesters left in your degree program to complete the Certificate Program
3. Get matched with a Leadership Coach
   • You can recruit your own coach, or choose to be assigned to a coach from our list of volunteers
   • The official pairing of your coach will occur after you have submitted your Statement of Intent
4. Begin working with your Leadership Coach
   • If you enrolled in the Fall, by December 1
   • If you enrolled in the Spring, by May 1
   • More information can be found in your Certificate Participant Manual
5. Construct your Personal Development Plan (PDP)
   • Due electronically to the Center by May 1 if you joined in the Fall
   • Due electronically to the Center by December 1 if you joined in the Spring
   • PDP Example 1 and PDP Example 2