Undergraduate and graduate students recently engaged in an interactive overview of socially responsible leadership with the Belmont Office of Leadership Development (BOLD). Student leaders invested in their own personal development by attending one of four 2-hour Social Change & Multicultural Experiences (SC&ME) workshops. During these workshops, led by Student Life and Student Financial Services staff, 70 students learned about the three levels of development and the seven C’s that make up the social change model of leadership: consciousness of self, congruence and commitment, common purpose, collaboration, controversy with civility and citizenship.
As they completed the interactive activities with facilitators, student leaders began to realize that societal change starts with them. From there they learned how their own values, attitude, beliefs and actions positively or negatively impact group and societal values. Each student received a “change tool,” more commonly known as a fidget spinner, to demonstrate the interconnectedness of the three levels of development and the seven C’s.
Using the three levels of development, the facilitators emphasized, “I change, we change, the world changes.” The overarching goal of the Social Change Model is to help leaders enhance their leadership qualities and skills to make the world a better place. This experience aligns with the newly introduced mission and vision of Belmont.
Through interactive activities student leaders practiced what it means to be congruent in their actions and behaviors while committing to have controversy with civility. During SC & ME, students learned how socially responsible leaders prioritize being intentionally empathetic, inclusive, compassionate and connected to other members of their society. One value of the social change model is not more important than the other, but each value in the model works together to bring about positive change. With this knowledge, one student said their most important takeaway was, “You have to constantly be working on yourself to make an impact on the world.”
After participating in BOLD’s leadership development workshops, student leaders are able to walk away and immediately put what they have learned into practice. 98.5 percent of participants said that SC & ME helped them understand the importance of socially responsible leadership. Because we are always evolving, socially responsible leadership is not something that students have to wait until after they graduate or after they get a formal leadership position to implement. Belmont leaders can begin making the world better today, right inside their classrooms, residence halls, in our community. Check out pictures from the SC&ME 2022.
Email bold@belmont.edu or click here to learn more about BOLD or participate in the upcoming Leadership Lately experience on March 21 or 28, 2022.
