Program Information

Introduction to the
LEADS Program

LEADS Programs
and Services

What is Garner LEADS?

LEADS Courses

What is Leadership?

LEADS Events & Programs

The University of Illinois Philosophy of Leadership

Leadership Resource Material

Four Skills of Leadership

Illinois Insight

LEADS Participation Expectations

Illinois Intersect

  Leadership Certificate

Illinois ignite

  Leadership Opportunities in Garner Hall

Illinois Imprint

Gregory Drive Tunnel Facilities

What is Garner LEADS?

The Garner LEADS program is a residential living/learning community located on the second floor of Garner Hall in Champaign’s Gregory Drive Residence Hall Area.  The Garner LEADS program focuses on assisting you in developing and practicing leadership skills and styles and exploring service opportunities both on campus and in the local Champaign-Urbana community.

LEADS is an acronym, here‘s what it stands for:

Leadership
Experience
through
Academics
Development
and
Service

This community name was created by the LEADS residents who attended a planning retreat in April of 2000.

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What is Leadership?

We would argue that this question does not have one definitive answer! Leadership can be defined in many ways and everyone has a unique leadership style! When some of us think of leaders, we think of people who hold formal "leadership" positions. Here at UIUC, we recognize that leadership is not just positional, leadership is an active process of learning, developing, and practicing skills that can make us more effective in our classes, careers, and relationships with other people – ANYONE can be a leader! To be an active, involved member of this floor, one needs no prior leadership experience – all you need is the desire to explore and be involved!

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The University of Illinois Philosophy of Leadership

Preparing to be successful in a career and a life after college requires more than simply taking classes. At UIUC, we recognize that developing leadership skills can give you the extra edge you need to stand out among your peers.

In the Spring of 1999 a group of UIUC students, faculty, staff, and alumni came together to create a leadership philosophy statement. This philosophy serves as a guide in the campus-wide initiative to develop the leadership potential of you, the student.

Here are a few important points from the Illinois Philosophy of Leadership:

ALL students exercise leadership. Leadership does not require formal authority or position.

Leadership is about people working together, influencing each other to achieve intended results.

Leadership development begins with discovering your own passion, motivation, strengths and limitations.

Building trusting relationships is essential for the work of leadership. Leadership never happens alone.

The practice of leadership is ethical in nature and includes a responsibility for the rights and welfare of those inside and outside of the group.

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Four Skills of Leadership

Becoming actively involved in the LEADS community will give you the opportunity to practice and develop the following leadership skills:

Self Development Skills
Self development is the ongoing process of determining and continuing to intentionally improve upon your strengths and weaknesses.

Interpersonal Development Skills
Generally, interpersonal skills involve how you relate to those around you. Interpersonal skills include relationship building, communication, active listening, conflict resolution, decision making, and intercultural communication skills.

Organizational and Group Development Skills
Groups are everywhere – families, classes, organizations, workplaces – these are all groups that you are part of or will be part of at some point in your life. Examining and experiencing the different roles and dynamics that exist in groups will help you be a more effective and productive group member.

Transitional Development Skills
Learning and personal growth does not end on graduation day – learning and growing are processes that continue throughout your entire life. Transitional development skills involve finding ways to continue to develop as a leader and develop others as leaders after college and throughout your entire lifetime.

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Leadership Participation Expectations

Now you are probably wondering exactly how the LEADS program will assist you in developing your leadership skills.  The great part about being a member of this community in the YOU will be an integral part of continuing to answer this question.

Since leadership development is such a personal and individual process, leadership is not something that we can "instill" into you.  Developing leadership skills is a personal, hands-on experience that you must be actively involved in.

Members of the LEADS community are expected to be involved in the activities offered by the program.  We know that leaders have different interests so we encourage LEADS members to select the activities in which they choose to participate in.  

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LEADS Courses

All LEADS courses are University courses taught through University academic departments by departmentally appointed instructors. Courses are credited through academic departments and appear on your transcripts as regular, credit courses.

Most LEADS courses are general education courses that you will need to take anyway – so why not take them with us!

If you take a LEADS course, you will be in class with fellow LEADS residents. When you take a class with people you live with, you may feel more comfortable participating actively in the class, you may develop study groups outside of class, and you may develop closer social ties with others living in the LEADS community.

Each semester LEADS will offer courses that are either directly or indirectly related to developing leadership skills. You are not required to take a LEADS course, but we encourage you to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

The LEADS courses meet in the Gregory Drive Tunnel or Weston Hall classrooms.  The Gregory Drive Tunnels are connected to Garner Hall, so you don't even have to go outside to get to class!  Weston Hall is located right next to Garner Hall.

Click here to see a list of the current LEADS courses.  

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LEADS Events & Programs

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Leadership Resource Material

The following books are just a small sampling of texts that we have available for check-out in the Garner Hall Resident Director's office (178 Garner Hall).  Click here for a complete book list.  Please feel free to recommend any resources that would be helpful to your personal leadership development.

• Becoming a Person of Influence:  How to Positively 
  Impact the Lives of Others
  

• Credibility:  How Leaders Gain and Lose it, 
  Why People Demand it
  

• Alternatives to the Peace Corps
  

• Encouraging the Heart: A Leader's Guide to 
  Rewarding and Recognizing Others
  

• The Leadership Challenge: How to Keep Getting
  Extraordinary Things Done in Organizations
  

• On Becoming a Leader
  

• The Transformational Leader:  they Key to 
  Global Competitiveness
  

• The Female Advantage:  Women's Ways of Leadership
  

•  Leading With Soul
  

• Leadership for Global Citizenship
  

• The Art of Possibility
  

• Who Moved My Cheese?

For additional Leadership Resources, visit the Illinois Leadership™ Center, 290 Illini Union.  

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Illinois Insight

This campus-wide program is a one night/one day retreat for University of Illinois students.  This program will give you the opportunity to assess yourself and make action plans according to your guiding values.  It's also a GREAT opportunity to get to know other students from across campus that share your interest in leadership development.

Illinois Insight Program Objectives

·         To increase understanding of personal values, strengths, and areas for improvement.

·         To identify factors which contribute to personal identity and motivation.

·         To recognize and practice strategies that result in a continuous pattern of self-development and self-monitoring.

·         To experience the value of community, relationships, self insight, and reflection as important leadership components.

For more information on Insight Illinois program dates and registration visit the Illinois Leadership™ website:

http://www.illinoisleadership.uiuc.edu/ 

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Illinois Intersect

Intersect is another campus-wide leadership development program.  Intersect focuses primarily on the development of interpersonal leadership skills.  Here's the cool part, Garner LEADS students can take part in this program during Fall Orientation.

For more information on Intersect program dates and registration visit the Illinois Leadership™ website:

http://www.illinoisleadership.uiuc.edu/

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Ignite provides opportunities that encourage development of organizational and group skills.

For more information on Intersect program dates and registration visit the Illinois Leadership™ website:

http://www.illinoisleadership.uiuc.edu/

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Imprint focuses on transitional development through sustaining leadership.

For more information on Intersect program dates and registration visit the Illinois Leadership™ website:

http://www.illinoisleadership.uiuc.edu/

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Leadership Certificate

A Leadership Certificate is a tool for you to record and document your leadership experiences at the University of Illinois.  The process of creating a portfolio will help you identify your strengths and areas for growth, as well as articulate your personal philosophy of leadership.  The end product can be a great resource for you as you create a resume and search for a job or internship.

Contact a LEADS Staff Member for more information on obtaining a Leadership Certificate or click here to visit the Illinois Leadership™ Center Certificate site.

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Leadership Opportunities in Garner Hall

As a member of the LEADS Community, you have access to programs and services offered exclusively for LEADS residents AND programs open to ALL of Garner Hall.  The following is a description of programs and opportunities open to all Garner Hall residents.

**The following is a list of opportunities available during the 2003-04 academic year and is subject to change.  Please see your Resident Director or Resident Advisor for the most current involvement opportunities in Garner.

Garner Hall Community Building Team
The Community Building Team meets bi-weekly to discuss Garner Hall issues, plan programs, and activities for the hall, and make decisions about fund distribution.  Generally, this group strives to bring the hall together.

Garner Hall Illini Guides and Illini Guide Hall Chairs
Illini Guides are the students in orange shirts that help residents move into Garner Hall each year.  Anyone can sign up to be an Illini Guide.  Two residents are selected are selected to be Illini Guide Hall Chairs.  Hall Chairs plan move-in activities and coordinate the team of Illini Guides during move in.  Anyone can apply to be a Hall Chair.

Residence Hall Judicial Commission Representative Rep
Every hall on campus selects one resident to represent the hall on the Residence Hall Judicial Commission.  RHJC Representatives work in teams to hear residence hall judicial cases and issue sanctions.  Anyone can apply to be our RHJC Representative.

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Gregory Drive Tunnel Facilities

Garner Hall is connected to Forbes and Hopkins Halls via an underground tunnel system.  The tunnel area contains a library, computer lab, laundry room, recreation room, conference rooms used for meetings and classes, soundproof music practice rooms, and a work-out rooms.

The conference rooms and recreation room are great locations for programs and meetings.  These rooms are also popular spaces to study when they are not being used for classes, meetings, or programs.  To reserve space in these rooms for meetings or programs, contact your Resident Advisor.

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