The Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences announced it is offering a new interdisciplinary minor in leadership studies. The minor requires involvement with athletics, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) or a community or student organization that offers opportunities for leadership experience.
“Leadership is a fundamental skill that will certainly set a student apart in today’s competitive job market,” said Michelle Kyriakides, the executive director of the Career Center. “Employers will be seeking candidates who are confident, strong communicators and who are able to leverage others’ strengths toward meeting specified goals – all aspects of being a leader.”
Kyriakides supports the new minor and views it as an opportunity for students to learn and strengthen their management skills. The new minor includes a capstone course, which, with mentorship from the Career Center, will guide students as they incorporate their leadership experiences and technical skills into carefully crafted job applications.
In addition to the capstone research course, completion of the minor requires one course each in psychology and management. To fulfill the remaining credits, students can choose from 22 different electives. These courses are designated as either ‘theoretical, cultural and philosophical’ electives or ‘professional’ electives and will be coupled with required leadership experiences through student organizations or clubs.
“Leadership is one of the most important skills for our graduates to have as they head out into their post-graduate lives, whether into graduate or professional school or into a job,” said Benjamin Rifkin, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Entry-level employees in a private sector business, non-profit agency or government agency advance faster with excellent leadership skills.” Rifkin also said that Hofstra’s new leadership studies minor is distinctive in that it functions as a hybrid program, integrating theory and practice.
“I am very excited about the leadership minor,” said Terri Shapiro, program director of the new minor. Shapiro has held a senior leadership position at Hofstra for the past six years as an industrial-organizational psychologist and has given presentations at several conferences and corporate events on the subject of leadership. Shapiro said the program will be a critical opportunity for students of all majors.
The Office of Student Leadership and Engagement (OSLE) also offers programs and opportunities that enhance the co-curricular experience of the leadership studies minor, including educational experiences that focus on both the responsibility of leading a group as well as the power that comes from being a member of one. OSLE’s programs and opportunities focus on leadership skills such as intrapersonal growth, interpersonal engagement and intentional management.
The Blue Leadership Program and the Gold Leadership Academy are examples of OSLE programs that could benefit those minoring in leadership studies; they allow students to meet with a dedicated group of peers each week to discuss different topics.
“The Blue Leadership Program focuses on intrapersonal and interpersonal development and supports students in understanding how their experiences shape who they are in group spaces,” said Denise Boneta, the associate director of OSLE. “Through a dialogue-based cohort model, it aims to give students the language, confidence and skills to be able to navigate group dynamics and collaborative initiatives.”
The Gold Leadership Academy is designed for junior and senior students who already hold a leadership role on campus. The program focuses on strategic planning, assessment and creating equitable and sustainable initiatives so students can identify how to create change within communities and organizations. The program meets for a full academic year and each participant is paired with a mentor from the Division of Student Affairs. Boneta said that both the Blue and Gold programs act as supplements to the new leadership studies minor.
