Making its way to Grambling State’s campus is a new organization called the Student Leadership Initiative. This organization is for incoming freshmen who have the qualities of a natural leader.
Beverly Hills-Hercules, Title III executive director, and Dr. Vivian Larkin, the first lady of Grambling State and associate volunteer, are responsible for creating the organization. The original idea of the organization was for inspiring young black males to be future leaders, but in order to be funded both genders had to be included.
Courtesy photo
The initial meeting of the Student Leadership Initiative takes place Tuesday in the Nursing Building.
The first meeting was held Tuesday in the Betty E. Smith School of Nursing building. The organization plans to host events, workshops, service learning opportunities, and have guest speakers come to talk to the students about how to be a successful leader.
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 to be accepted into the organization. “Graduating on time is key,” Dr. Larkin said, “and that we are all going to help each other along the way.”
“Being in this organization means a lot to me,” said Taylor Bolden, a freshman psychology major, “and I enjoy helping and being a part of looking for young men and women to help lead others of the same generation, the younger generation, even the older generation, and lead them to success.”
The program goals are to accelerate the student’s learning curve, enhance personal development, and provide participants with the necessary preparation for a successful educational journey and professional career.
Bolden has definite opinions about the effect the organization will have on her, other members and the university itself.
“This will impact my life at Grambling State University because it will help me make more executive decisions that will affect me now and later in life,” Bolden said. The things I learn will help me with the job I get and when I continue my career in the workforce.”
The students will design the group’s logo, and the best one will be chosen by SLI leaders to be featured as their logo.
Being an organization that promotes leadership, professional behavior, and academic excellence, they want the students in the group to represent them well. So they will be providing them with an iPad for school assignments and, to look professional, jackets, on which the chosen logo will appear.