Student
Leadership
Model
Leadership Development Model
DSL uses principles in developing student leaders when creating curricula for their programmatic and educational initiatives. These guiding principles intentionally reflect DSL's Core Vales and are also inspired by the theory incorporated from the Social Change Model (Astin & Astin, 1996) and the Relational Leadership Model (Komives, Lucas, McMahon, 1998, 2006).
Leadership is Personal
Focuses on students becoming self-aware; requires introspection and reflection
Skills: interpersonal awareness, collaboration, coalition-building, networking, group development, effective communication
Leadership is Relational
Focuses on how students are able to relate to others as a leader, in particular, what it means for them to be a member of a team and/or group
Skills: interpersonal awareness, collaboration, coalition-building, networking, group development, effective communication
Leadership is Contextual
Focuses on creating opportunities for students to think intentionally about the setting and situation in which they are operating and leading within
Skills: strategy development, buy-in, advocacy, risk and opportunity assessment, critical reasoning
Leadership is Purposeful
Focuses on the student working to create their own personal vision and being able to identify what issues, organizations, or communities are most important to them and why
Skills: mission-/vision-/goal-setting, assessment, reflection, decision-making
Leadership is Transformational
Focuses on carrying the purpose foward and how students are able to organize effectively for action
Skills: Global perspective, innovation, follow-through, big picture design, resourcefulness
Leadership is Experiential
Focuses on leadership in action—how does the student's experience in their field of passion make for an opportunity to build upon their leadership skills?
Skills: service, personal empowerment, learning through doing, social justice, ethics, decision-making, innovative thought
