Students looking to stand out from the crowd and get some experience their resume have a new opportunity this semester.
This month, the Career & Leadership Development Centre (CLDC) is launching a leadership experience and development certificate program called DALconnects. Participating in the program will help stuents contribute to the community, get their experiences recognized and expand their resume.
“The program is guided by the belief that all students are potential leaders, and that community service can be an excellent avenue for them to discover their leadership style and apply their skills and knowledge,” says Eric Donovan, the CLDC’s new coordinator of Experiential Learning Opportunities.
DALconnects will allow students who are already volunteering outside of Dal to have that work recognized on their Co-Curricular Record. The program essentially combines leadership development workshops with community volunteer service.
For this semester’s pilot program, participating students are required to complete three workshops in total: an initial orientation session; an elective from a variety of DALconnects-accredited workshops offered through the semester; and a reflective closing workshop that ties the workshop material with the volunteer experience.
Developing leadership skills, building community connections
"Students can learn just as much outside the classroom as they do inside the classroom,” says Donovan. “Students’ skills in areas such as communication, team building, or conflict resolution, for example, all can be practiced and further developed through applied experiences which DALconnects provides.
"It not only supports students in becoming more effective leaders in the classroom and in their future careers, but also helps develop practical skills for everyday life."
Students participating in the program are required to complete a minimum of 15 volunteer hours in the community. Anyone who isn’t already volunteering off campus can be connected to opportunities through the program.
"It's been shown that students leaving university are better prepared for their careers if they’ve taken part in applied learning experiences,” says Donovan. “This program provides all students the opportunity to apply their skills and further develop their own leadership style through community volunteer experience."
The deadline for applying to DALconnects via mycareer is January 31, and a full workshop schedule will be available on Friday, January 18 on the CLDC’s events calendar on mycareer. For more information, contact Eric Donovan at eric.donovan@dal.ca or 494-4306, or visit the Career & Leadership Development Centre on the 4th floor of the Student Union Building.