Clemson University’s college of business has launched a new program for business students looking to improve their leadership skills.
The Leadership Signature Program, first announced in Spring 2021, offers a 12-credit course certification for undergraduates and emphasizes cross cultural awareness and community service projects, according to program administrators.
The program has several projects under development and gives students a real–life opportunity to get a feel of what it is like to run a company.
“Every semester, we have activities that simulate projects for leadership and skills for my division of operations,” said Jamison Taylor III, a senior management major serving as the program’s chief operating officer. “We are working with the Tiger Alliance program, a community service project in the local area.”
“I have been incredibly impressed by the commitment of our initial student leaders to both their own and others’ leadership development,” said Keith Balts, director of the Leadership Signature Program. “In a short amount of time, they have built a welcoming culture to allow everyone to gain leadership experience in a low threat and supportive environment.”
Taylor said his role has allowed him to learn his own leadership style and helped him realize his enjoyment in empowering individuals and working with others.
“One of the biggest takeaways is the perspective of leadership and seeing everything unfold,” Taylor said. “I had to learn how to balance overseeing other people and trusting them, while still being engaged. There is a lot of delegation and responsibility, but it allows you to take a step back to receive feedback and understand what it is like to be a leader at a lower stake level.”
One of the goals the program has for 2022 is creating a care package for high school students and sending them tips on how to prepare for college. Students within the program elect a CEO and COO, and divide members into different division teams with certain requirements that must be met. Having these roles breaks up the responsibilities and creates a structure for members to engage in within their current project.
Another project under development is finding the ideal study-abroad location for college students, according to Skylar Bass, a junior management major and a team leader within the program’s Resource Division.
“My job is to oversee the project and take notes of how each person accomplished their tasks,” said Bass.“My team picked Japan and had to talk about how a student would benefit from being in that specific country, and how they could expand their global leadership skills.”
There are currently 35 members participating, which is almost double the amount when the program first launched in the Spring of 2021, according to the program’s operation division members. Leadership assessment activities take place weekly where students can communicate their individual values and work on how to keep an open mind in the workplace. Professionalism training is practiced on useful topics such as proper email etiquette, leave forms, and content leaders.
Students were able to meet with the donors who invested in Clemson’s new $87.5 million dollar business college and discuss the importance of leadership. Taylor said the program has helped him have firsthand experience with running a company and has given him a realistic perspective of leadership.
The Leadership Signature Program can ultimately expand business students’ understanding of management, marketing and finance, as well as hospitality. The organization allows networking with peers, and helps them learn more about something they are passionate about.
Interested business students can pre-register for the Fall 2022 Leadership Practicum on the website, or on Instagram @cubusinesslsp.
