Frank Ciccia is director of the Leadership Development Center. Ed Brodka serves as assistant director.

What is the Leadership Development Center?

The Leadership Development Center, part of the Division of Student Affairs, provides programs, services and resources to encourage students to recognize the importance of leadership, learn to work effectively with others and develop and practice their skills on campus and within the community. In addition to providing programs and workshops, the center has a variety of books, videos, tapes and interactive computer programs that students can use or borrow. Topics include time management, communication skills, public speaking, team-building, running meetings, creative problem-solving and more.

	Ciccia
	Brodka

What does it mean to be a leader?

What it means to be a leader is viewed differently by various disciplines. In the work that we do, we emphasize the process of "leadership" more than a person being a "leader." Typically, a leader is thought of simply as the person in the group that tells everyone else what to do, or someone who is elected to a position or designated the head of an organization. There is an implication that there is only one "leader" and that a person is either a leader or not. We view leadership as a process of people together attempting to accomplish change or make a difference to benefit the common good. We want students to recognize and develop their own leadership skills so that they can contribute to the groups in which they belong. Group members may assume any one of a number of leadership roles, such as someone who helps keep the group on the task at hand or helps listen to and summarize what others have said, or resolves conflicts or keeps the moral of the group positive. Our slogan for the Leadership Center is "Leadership begins with you." This means that that before you can "lead" a group you have to be able to lead yourself. Successful leaders are always learning, gaining self-knowledge and working to improve themselves.

Is leadership something you're born with, or can you learn to be a leader?

When talking to a group of students, we'll ask them to raise their hand if they feel every person is a "leader." Very few hands go up, but when we ask them if they think they will need to use leadership skills in their ife, job or community, almost every hand goes up. Leadership isn't some "thing" that you are born with or you have or don't have. It involves a set of skills that you are always developing, like anything else, with practice and trial and error. We encourage students to learn to be "leaders" by getting involved in campus life, such as clubs or student government, becoming an RA, joining their hall council or working as an orientation aide. These types of experiences, offered by many different offices on campus, help develop our students' leadership skills.

Describe some of your programs.

The Leadership Development Center offers programs designed for a variety of students, ranging from those that hold executive board positions in student clubs to new students who are not yet involved in campus life. Officers of clubs and student government are invited to the Student Leadership Institute, a one-day conference in the fall semester. Students who want to find out how to get involved on campus or take on a leadership role in a group are being nominated by faculty and staff to attend the Emerging Leaders Forum to be held Feb. 24. We are accepting applications for students to participate in the "Leadership Experience & Achievement Program (LEAP) on April 4, a day for students to "shadow" a leader in the Western New York community. Some of the 50 mentors from government, business and non-profits include Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello, Geri Grossman of Ingram Micro and Arlene Kaukus from the United Way. In conjunction with the Life Workshops program, a leadership workshop series is offered with 20 workshops and/or panel discussions that are open to students, faculty, staff and community members. The topics range from time management and public speaking to "Serving your Community as a Leader." We offer a "Dynamics of Leadership course (UBE102) and have a Leadership Peer Educator Program where undergraduate interns present workshops and staff the LDC. Any group, class or organization may stop by the Leadership Development Center and request a leadership workshop that may be customized for their group.

Are the programs just for students? Or can faculty and staff participate?

The majority of our programs are for students. However, the Leadership Workshop Series is open to students, faculty, staff and community members. A number of faculty and staff have borrowed leadership books and videos, or have come into the center with ideas for icebreakers and team-building activities. Faculty and staff also can let us know about any specific classes or extracurricular activities they would like us to make students aware of that could improve students' leadership skills.

How can one get involved in the Leadership Development Center?

Stop into 230 Student Union-the Leadership Resource Center is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.-or our administrative office in 112 Student Union. For more information or to register for any of our programs, visit our Web site at http://www.leadership.buffalo.edu or get on our email list by emailing us at leadub@acsu.buffalo.edu. Or call 645-6469.

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