Emerging Leaders

The 2008 Emerging Leaders will welcome Adventurer/Author Dan "Sheltowee" Rogers to the Gardner-Webb University campus on April 13th at 6pm in Blanton Auditorium.

In 2001, Dan began a working towards completeing a life long goal when he set out on a walk that took him from his home in Ohio, South to the Mississippi, then west to the Old Point Loma Lighthouse in San Diego, California. Upon his return, Dan wrote a book, America One Step at a Time, that covered all his findings on the trail. Dan will began the second phase of his journey on April 17th when he will begin the Pacific Crest Trail which will take him from the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, North, to Canada. Please join us on April 13th to hear about Dan's journey. The program will begin at 6pm in Blanton Auditorium on the campus of Gardner-Webb University. For more information on Dan, his book and his journey, visit his site www.sheltoweehikes.com.

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The 2008 Emerging Leaders will attend the third annual retreat on Friday, February 22nd. The retreat will once again be held at Camp Bud Schiele located in Rutherfordton, NC. At the retreat the EL's will complete a variety of workshops on leadership as well as a ropes challenge course. Check back soon for photos...

The EL's will hold the second annual Hunger Banquet on April 10th. The 2nd Annual EL Hunger Banquet will support Oxfam America, a non-profit organization fighting poverty and hunger around the world. Tickets will go on sale on March 17th. Tickets will be available in the GWU Cafeteria and The Kennel. If you would like to attend the Hunger Banquet but can't make it to campus, contact Chris Bradley at (704) 406-3238.

Emerging Leaders aims to build future leaders that are successful in college and their chosen career by offering first year Gardner-Webb students leadership and teamwork skills through innovative workshops, service-learning, hands-on experience, and a leadership retreat.

As a part of Emerging Leaders (EL), students will gain valuable experience and education about leading others and working in groups. Students will be also learn more about the Gardner-Webb community and the Student YMCA and ways they can be involved in impacting their campus and their world. Participants will bond with others in the program and make friends that will last the rest of their college career.

Emerging Leaders is a yearlong program that begins with an application and interview in September or October, with a few meetings in November, the retreat in January, and the other meetings throughout second semester. The program ends with a graduation ceremony held in late April. EL has a few different aspects, first is the workshop. Weekly workshops are held on Sunday evening in the University's Club House, during the workshop time, members of the Gardner-Webb, Cleveland County, or YMCA community come and teach about the YMCA, servant leadership, leadership styles, team building, problem solving, time management, public speaking, publicity, event planning, and more. The second component is service-learning and hands-on experience. All participants must accumulate 10 hours of community service during the year for the program. Students will also be a part of completely planning a large event from start to finish (the article below is about the Hunger Banquet that 2006-2007 particpants organized). Participants will also have to plan their own program graduation and fundraiser. The third and final part of Emerging Leaders is the leadership retreat. All participants must attend a leadership retreat during the beginning of the Spring semester. At this retreat students will take part in various activities from climbing to rappelling to trust falls and mind teasers. The retreat is a time to bond with other participants and learn even more about oneself.