The PLTL Leadership Program is designed to promote, foster, and recognize diverse student leaders, and their ability to motivate, inspire, and positively influence others on campus and in the community. Peer Leaders are chosen and provided training to facilitate workshops in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The PLTL Leadership Program trains undergraduates to lead STEM Workshops consisting of eight to ten students. There are approximately four peer leaders per classroom. All of the peer leaders are trained in a one-credit elective class MEDU 2901: Peer Leader Training in Mathematics. Peer Leaders are equipped with the essential leadership tools that are needed to assist students in the challenges of STEM learning. Peer leaders also become involved in a community of practice, where they develop ethical principles, build vital skills to communicate effectively, and create collaborative teams. In doing this, peer leaders learn strategies to manage and effect change, while appreciating the complexities and richness of a diverse student population. Peer Leaders are also offered a variety of opportunities to represent the college at prestigious local and national conferences, and frequently gain acceptance into nationally-recognized undergraduate research programs.
PLTL Leadership Program Benefits
- strengthen STEM content knowledge
- advance and improve personal leadership and teambuilding skills
- develop oral presentation skills
- learn teaching and group facilitation skills
- gain a basic understanding of student development theory
- apply theoretical knowledge to facilitate problem solving
- learn to work effectively with their assigned STEM professor
- maintain accurate data
- participate in a community of practice
The peer leaders acquire skills on how to build a vibrant community of student learners in order to help students succeed academically in their STEM courses. This not only benefits the students, but the Peer Leaders as well. With experience like this, peer leaders have gone into successful leadership careers, or careers where they guide others.
TL;DR
Interested in becoming a STEM peer leader? Fill out an application and go to an interview.What next? Sign up for the MEDU 2901 1-credit course so you can be trained to peer lead! Peer-lead a group of 8-10 students in one or more workshops with other peer leaders.
Awesome sauce.
