Mission Statement

The Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement serves as a catalyst for the development of curricular, co-curricular, experiential leadership and service-learning programs. Our programs in collaboration with other departments advance the leadership potential and civic engagement of Georgia Southern students. It is our vision that every student will have the opportunity to realize his or her personal leadership style and capacity to effect positive change in society.

What is Civic-Based Leadership?

Civic Engagement and Leadership working as necessary partners.

Civic engagement "means working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community..." ~American Democracy Project (American Association of State Colleges and Universities)

Hughes, Ginnett, & Curphy, Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience (New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill, 2006).

What is Leadership?

Leadership is a process not a position
Leadership is a function of three elements

Followers (values, norms, cohesiveness)
Leader (personality, position, expertise)
Situation (environment, history, task)

Civic-Based Leadership at Georgia Southern University

Social Change Model of Leadership

Key Assumptions:

Leadership is concerned with effecting change on behalf of others and society.
Leadership is collaborative.
Leadership is a process rather than a position.

The two primary goals of the Model are:

to enhance student learning and development of self-knowledge and leadership competence and
to facilitate positive social change.

Framed by three levels

Individual

Consciousness of Self
Congruence
Commitment

Group

Collaboration
Common Purpose
Controversy with civility

Community/Society

Citizenship

A Social Change Model of Leadership Development Guidebook: Version III (1996), the Higher Education Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles.