Student Leadership Program

Explore the building blocks of leadership theory in a series of six workshops led by current student leaders. Participate in the five core student leadership workshops:

Experience a leadership role and engage with the UWaterloo community. To meet this requirement, you must complete a minimum of 10 hours in a paid or volunteer campus leadership role or activity that:

• Has some level of responsibility or plays an active role (i.e. not just a participant/attendee).
• Can be validated by a reference.

Please note that degree requirements (i.e. co-op positions, course work) do not count towards this requirement. For graduate students interested in this program, TA/RA positions may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Contact Sam Germann to share your rationale for including your TA/RA role in your leadership experience.  

What counts as a leadership experience?

Any University of Waterloo leadership position or leadership activity can count towards your experience. There are a range of leadership experiences and opportunities available both in-person and online.

Involvement opportunities may include (but are not limited to) the following:

You will be required to provide the name and contact information of the person who can verify your experience.

If you need support finding an activity or would like to discuss off-campus/community opportunities, please contact Sam Germann.

Once you’ve completed the six core workshops and practiced your leadership skills through an on-campus experience, the final step is to sit back and reflect. Connect what you learned in workshops and your practical experience to prepare for future leadership roles.

Guidelines

The reflection is the final component of the program. Please submit your reflection on the Certify page. Your reflection is not marked or graded, and you will receive feedback on your submission.

You can submit your reflection in any of the following formats:

• Written reflection: Take the time to reflect on your experience through writing. Maximum length: 1050 words.
• PowerPoint presentation: Showcase your learning in a visual presentation.
• Video reflection: Submit a video reflection to describe and reflect upon your experience in the program. Maximum length: 5 minutes. Upload your video to a third-party host (i.e. YouTube) and submit the link.
• ePortfolio: Reflect on your leadership journey and document your learning by creating an ePortfolio. Store and collect artifacts from your experience, including worksheets, pictures, workshop notes, print materials or any other resources. By creating an online portfolio, you can translate the skills you’ve learned into tangible items to add your resume, LinkedIn profile, CV, or personal blog. Submit the link to your ePortfolio.

Reflection questions

You must answer all of the following questions in your reflection.

1. Tell us about your leadership experience. Describe your experience, including your role and major responsibilities. (max. 150 words).
2. What have you learned about yourself through this leadership experience? (max. 150 words)
3. What skills have you gained and/or improved by participating in the Student Leadership Program? (max. 150 words)
4. How will you use this experience and the skills you have developed in your personal and/or professional life? (max. 150 words)
5. How has your experience with the Student Leadership Program helped you meet new people and form new connections? (max. 150 words)
6. Now that you’ve completed the program, tell us what leadership means to you. How has your definition of leadership changed since you started the program? (max. 150 words)
7. The Student Leadership Program is only one component in your leadership journey. How will you continue to develop your leadership skills, knowledge, and abilities? (max. 150 words)