Second Cohort of Student Leadership Fellows Convenes in Colombia to Define Community Engagement Projects

OSUN’s Student Leadership Fellows program brings together scholars and student groups from around the globe for workshops, conferences, and other events related to academic scholarship, community engagement, and leadership. The second cohort of Student Leadership Fellows met in January in Bogotá, Colombia at Universidad de los Andes for a program rich with discussions and workshops designed to enhance the fellows’ public speaking and program management skills, as well as add to their general leadership experience. There was a strong focus on the role of students as community leaders and how that impacts the work they do.

Watch a short video about the retreat.

The retreat was a continuation of programmatic work begun during the fall of 2023, in which the 21 students in the cohort attended virtual workshops focused on student representation, emotional intelligence, project management, goal setting, team building, and mediation.
 
In Bogotá, the Leadership Fellows continued to strengthen their leadership abilities while building their public speaking and communication skills. The fellows devoted time to formulating concrete ideas and next steps for their campus enhancement activities, the final phase of the program in which students implement programs centered on the themes of community engagement, student representation, and leadership.
 Sadaf Osmani, a Leadership Fellow from the American University of Beirut, says “what I really liked (about the retreat) was the debate workshop because there I learned something very powerful: the only debate that I should beat is my own worst debate. Before, I thought debate was only about fighting and beating your opponent, but this thought was really mind blowing for me.”

Brett Dube, a Leadership Fellow from the University of Witwatersrand, says the week he spent with fellow students from all over the globe exposed him to multiple cultural experiences that have enhanced his personal development. “I’ve learned to relate to people who are from different backgrounds, faiths, and cultures. I’ve learned about problems in their different communities and their various disciplines and I think that has enriched me a lot. As I go back home, I have a lot of ideas in terms of how I can better my project,” he adds. 

By the end of the spring semester, the fellows will be launching the campus projects they have been working towards, building upon the skills they have gained throughout the program. 

Post Date: 02-21-2024