President’s Leadership Program
www.unco.edu/hsl/PLP
The President’s Leadership Program (PLP) is a four-year academic leadership program that incorporates leadership theory with hands-on learning and practical application. It is a selective program open to incoming freshman who demonstrate leadership potential. Students will receive leadership training and development through guest speakers, classes, community service, a community-action project, activities, and leadership summits.
Program Highlights
Year One: The first year includes participation in the Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership’s first year seminar curriculum. Freshman in PLP will take LEAD 100 and MIND 289 with the PLP cohort. These classes will connect students to community, allow them to explore personal values, and encourage perspective taking through civic engagement and service-learning. Students will also attend the Leaders Engaging in Action through Passion (LEAP) Summit.
Year Two: In the second year of the program, PLP students will explore the idea of risk and change as they relate to leadership in LEAD 200. Students will also begin to think about their individual Community Action Project, taking one credit of LEAD 492, as they start to seek out a community partner for their project and prepare the skills necessary to build capacity in organizations.
Year Three: Students will complete a Community Action Project. The remaining 2 credits of the LEAD 492 class will help connect them to community partners, structure and implement their project, and connect any relevant leadership theories to the community work the students will be doing.
Year Four: Fourth year students will take LEAD 499 Capstone, which asks students to complete an in-depth, hands-on, capstone legacy project where they will work with community and with each other. This project incorporates the previous years of theory and experience, making room for a creative space to explore change, civic values, and community impact.
Program Requirements
- Completion of 20 hours of service within the community per semester
- Completion of an extensive Leadership Portfolio, turned in each semester
- Completion of extracurricular programmatic elements
- Completion of all PLP required courses: a total of 15 course credits
Required Courses
MIND 289 Coming of Age in the Twenty-First Century (3)
LEAD 100 Contemporary Leadership Theory (3)
LEAD 200 Risk and Change in Leadership (3)
LEAD 492 Internship/Study Abroad (1-3)
*LEAD 495 Special Topics in Leadership (3)
LEAD 499 Capstone (3)
*Denotes optional course that could replace PLP courses (only with instructor approval and PLP Director approval)
Application Information
- PLP admits 20-25 incoming freshman (occasionally returning UNC sophomores may join)
- Must display interest beyond self: a desire to get involved on campus and in the community
- Application deadline is April 1st: up to 40 candidates will be interviewed for the 20-25 spots
- There is an annual PLP scholarship, based on funding, and access to additional scholarship opportunities once admitted into the program
Additional Information
Please contact the Center for Honors, Scholars and Leadership by calling (970) 351-2940, by visiting the office in Michener L-98, or by finding us online at www.unco.edu/hsl/PLP.