| Presidents Leadership Class | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1972 |
| Undergraduates | 200 |
| Postgraduates | 1800 |
| Location | Boulder, Colorado, U.S. |
| Nickname | PLC |
| Affiliations | University of Colorado at Boulder |
| Website | www.presidentsleadershipclass.org |
The Presidents Leadership Class (PLC) at the University of Colorado at Boulder is one of the oldest collegiate leadership programs in the United States [1]. A four-year academic and experiential learning program for top students at the University of Colorado at Boulder, it is owned and operated by the Presidents Leadership Class, Inc., an independent, nonprofit organization in partnership with the University of Colorado at Boulder.[2]
Contents |
The Presidents Leadership Class was founded in 1972 by William Douglas, Dean of Admissions at the University of Colorado, and Terry Heineman, Assistant Director of Admissions. In order to attract top students to the University, PLC founders believed that a leadership program should be added to an existing merit scholarship program.
Douglas believed it important to involve a number of outstanding leaders in the state to lend additional credibility to the concept of a leadership program. He enlisted William Coors, then President of Adolph Coors Company, to help lead the effort.
The Presidents Leadership Class was named to honor the president of the University of Colorado as well as the corporate presidents and executives involved in the program’s formation.
The first Board of Directors included: William Coors, President of the Adolph Coors Company; Emmett Heitler, Executive Vice President of Samsonite Corporation; Theodore Brown, President of First National Bank of Denver; Frank Raggio, a Martin-Marietta executive; Al Flanagan, president of Denver’s TV Channel 9, KUSA-TV, and later president of Gannett Broadcasting; and William Douglas, Dean of Admissions, Registrar and Financial Aid at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Each year, the Presidents Leadership Class selects 50 of the most exemplary freshman students attending the University of Colorado at Boulder. Students wishing to become part of the Presidents Leadership Class apply to the program during their senior year of high school through the website http://www.presidentsleadershipclass.org. Applications are due on February 1. PLC receives over 500 applications each year for the 50 positions.
The application consists of a detailed history of a student’s academic record, test scores, community service, leadership roles, and extracurricular activities. Additionally, applicants are required to write five short essays and submit two detailed letters of recommendation.
From 500 applications, PLC selects 200 students to participate in interviews with a panel of judges composed of alumni, government and community leaders, parents, and university officials.
All members of the Presidents Leadership Class are given an initial scholarship award in the amount of $500 per semester. To supplement that award, all PLC students are given exclusive opportunities to compete for other scholarships—a PLC student has the potential to be awarded upwards of $12,000 throughout their college career from PLC opportunities alone.
The mission of the Presidents Leadership Class is to develop extraordinary leaders. PLC accomplishes its mission by attracting to the University of Colorado at Boulder the most outstanding undergraduate students and providing them with academic and real-life experiences that:
Note: Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines extraordinary as 1. “going beyond what is usual, regular or customary,” and, 2. “exceptional to a very marked extent.”
The curriculum of the Presidents Leadership Class takes a measured approach to leadership development across a scholar’s four years in the program. It begins with the premise that extraordinary leadership relies first on a strong base of leadership skills executed with stunning results and second with knowledge of methods and content.
Year one introduces content such as leadership theory, ethical frameworks, and community issues in leadership. Although the value of each of these content areas is important, the primary focus of the first year is to use this content as a medium for instilling a capability for stunning execution of fundamental leadership skills. Our goal is for the majority of scholars to leave the first year with strong informational literacy, clear oratory skills, incisive writing capability, and a set of clear methods for thinking critically. With scholars fundamentally sound in key leadership skills after their first year, the second year deepens scholars’ knowledge of methods and content within their field of study. Scholars are expected to acquire more breadth and depth when diagnosing and intervening with leadership problems that are often multifaceted. This is accomplished through scholars increasingly providing expertise from their disciplinary lens and also gathering expertise from scholars coming from divergent viewpoints in attempts to generate innovative solutions to complex problems. Involvement in applied internship experiences during the second year also serves to deepen students’ breadth and depth of knowledge.
Scholars enter the third and fourth year expected to engage in “real world” activities such as crafting policy statements, interacting with international policy leaders, and ultimately applying for grants to fund their own original leadership ideas. The program culminates in the awarding of a Leadership Certificate upon graduation from the University of Colorado at Boulder. The Leadership Certificate is considered equivalent to a minor in Leadership Studies, and is recognized by employers and graduate schools.
In a recent survey, 91% of PLC alumni responded that PLC has helped them perform at a higher level in their career as compared to other college graduates.
The Presidents Leadership Class is unique because it is based at the University of Colorado at Boulder but managed by an independent, nonprofit board of directors. Made up of community leaders, government officials, PLC alumni, and current students, the Board is responsible for overseeing all facets of PLC.
Founded in 1972, the Presidents Leadership Class boasts an active alumni network of more than 1800. All PLC students are given access to this network to find jobs, mentors, and friends whenever desired.
Past speakers at PLC events have included: