Provost’s leadership program plans for next year

Michaela Write

Incoming freshmen accepted in next year’s Provost’s Leadership Academy will be working on more projects.

N.J. Akbar, the adviser of the academy, said the small projects are in addition to, and will prepare students for, their final project: creating ideas to better Kent State’s campus, such as adding dining carts to Front Campus or implementing tracking services for PARTA buses.

The academy’s purpose is to give students leadership experience and benefit the Kent State community. This was the first year of the program, and the advisers realized the students needed more guidance with the final projects.

“We had to do a lot of coaching, which is not a problem,” Akbar said. “It also makes it a little more manageable for us. Planning anything for 65 people on a weekly basis can be a feat in itself.”

Only 65 students will be accepted based on high academic achievement, high interest and leadership abilities.

Next year, there will be three groups of about 20 to 22 students with six mentors.

Akbar said the 59 students who have successfully completed the program this year will receive a $300 book scholarship. Scholarship money was the largest part of the program’s budget from the provost.

He said 95 percent of the academy students said they are looking to be involved in a leadership role in some student organization next year.

“I think that seeing students with that much drive and commitment and dedication to serving other students and being in student leader roles is amazing,” Akbar said. “Our students have done an outstanding job academically.”

Contact Michaela Write at [email protected]