Adelphi nurtures leadership in our students. Some earn the President’s Student Leadership Award, become Levermore Global Scholars or compete in our Willumstad Leadership Scholars Program. Others shine in our local high school. We’re proud to recognize and celebrate them all.
When senior Matthew Gornstein started his college career, public speaking gave him anxiety. Now, he’s preparing to present a 20-page experiential research project at a national conference in May.
What’s behind his newfound confidence? The leadership training he has gotten at Adelphi, where students can choose from a range of programs that build leadership qualities and skills for success.
As part of the highly competitive Willumstad Leadership Scholar Program, Gornstein and a small group of seniors majoring in business are working with a community bank to propose solutions for recovery from the pandemic.
“We’re working with professionals, we’re working as a team and we’ll see all the hard work pay off when we present to a panel that is also hearing projects from around the country,” said Gornstein, an accounting major. “I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for any student to take.”
Building Leaders of Every Kind
Adelphi has leadership programs for students in virtually every discipline. The Leadership Certificate Program offered by the University’s award-winning Center for Career and Professional Development builds professional qualities and skills that are applicable in any career. Its workshops cover everything from social justice and safe zone training to emotional intelligence, relationship building, conflict resolution and even business etiquette.
Adelphi also places students in the Newman Civic Fellowship program each year. Offered by the Campus Compact organization, the fellowships train community-minded students to become leaders who bring about social change.
The University’s many clubs and organizations—including Black Students United, the community service organization C.A.L.I.B.E.R. and Inter-Greek Council—offer leadership-building opportunities as well.
Adelphi also encourages leadership through awards for members of the larger community. The President’s Student Leadership Award acknowledges the extraordinary achievements of Adelphi students and community leaders. Adelphi even offers a Prize for Leadership for local high school seniors who exhibit exemplary academic achievement and community service.
Academic Programs Devoted to Leadership
The Levermore Global Scholars (LGS) program is built around leadership training. It prepares students to become global thinkers through eye-opening seminars as well as opportunities to attend United Nations conferences and participate in international service programs.
“The Levermore Global Scholars program has been the highlight of my academic career,” said senior Melanie Rosa-Chaves , president of the LGS Student Leadership Council. “It’s really helped me formulate a better idea of what global citizenship means with regard to academics and how I can implement that within my very unique course of study.”
Rosa-Chaves is a dual major in communication sciences and disorders and Spanish, with plans to become a trilingual speech-language pathologist in English, Spanish and Portuguese. As a first-year student, she studied at the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica, learning about sustainable development and human rights issues. In her role as president of the LGS Student Leadership Council, she’s led multiple community service projects, including gathering protective supplies for emergency housing programs during the pandemic.
“Building these leadership qualities is important to me because I want to serve as a role model for my future students, clients and patients,” Rosa-Chaves said. “It’s optimal that I create a strong foundation within my own professional repertoire and my own lived experience to ensure that I am giving them the best service that they could possibly have.”
As a Levermore Global Scholar, Rosa-Chaves has connected with young leaders from around the world, attending the United Nations Association’s Global Engagement Summit and participated in the Girls in Science 4 Sustainable Development Goals International Platform.
“That was a really critical experience for me because it helped me realize the potential that I had as a woman pursuing a career in a STEM field not only within the United States, but on an international level as well.”
And, of course, students can find leadership opportunities almost everywhere they look on campus.
“I’ve improved my leadership just by speaking with faculty and being given [the space] to grow myself,” Gornstein said. “If I can present something in class, I’ll be able to go into a meeting with the same confidence. Because the faculty have already given me the confidence to be able to lead.”