University Catalog 2015-2016

University of Colorado Boulder
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Presidents Leadership Class

    The Presidents Leadership Class (PLC) is a specially designed, top scholar community and academic curriculum that focuses on leadership development through an exploration and honing of our five domains of leadership education. Skills are developed in interdisciplinary, academic and experiential environments and through exposure to the key industries of Colorado. Students from all schools and colleges participate in the Presidents Leadership Class curriculum as part of their regular course work.

    The Presidents Leadership Class is a program of CU-Boulder and has a Board of Advocates representing Colorado business, educational, nonprofit and government communities.

    Admission and Enrollment

    Admission to the Presidents Leadership Class is considered one of the highest honors awarded to incoming University of Colorado Boulder students. Most Presidents Leadership Class students are admitted prior to the beginning of their first year, however, a maximum of 10 spots are reserved for rising sophomores in a second point of entry. Selection criteria include academic excellence, demonstrated commitment outside of self, leadership potential and uniqueness of contribution to the incoming cohort. Each year, 50 first-year students are enrolled, comprising both Colorado residents and nonresidents. Instructions on how to apply to PLC are available on the PLC website. The application is part of the University of Boulder Scholarships Application through the Office of Financial Aid. The application and all supplemental materials are due by February 15 each year. To access the application, please visit www.presidentsleadershipclass.org/about/applying.

    Only students who are accepted into the Presidents Leadership Class are eligible to enroll in PLC courses (PRLC). Students receive arts and sciences core credit in ideals and values for PRLC 1810 Leadership and Ethics; and core credit in contemporary societies for PRLC 1820 Community Issues in Leadership.

    Academic Program

    PLC understands the world to be a dynamic, ever-changing place that will do one thing consistently: create extraordinary challenges. Thus, the world needs leaders with the skills, mindsets and ethics necessary to do whatever it takes to meet the current and coming needs of our communities. PLC provides students with unique academic courses, purposeful experiential education and real-life experiences that:

    • Support academic and professional excellence
    • Grow critical thinking and analytical capabilities
    • Develop extraordinary creativity
    • Hone abilities of implementation
    • Cultivate moral reasoning, and instill an ethic of service and character

    PLC provides opportunities by uniting the support of the university, local and statewide leaders. PLC operates as a "leadership laboratory" in which all students, staff, faculty and volunteers model and practice the core competencies and demonstrate the character traits that PLC strives to cultivate. The academic curriculum is supplemented by experiential learning and leading, a Wilderness Leadership Experience and a new Global Inquiry seminar.

    For more information on the PLC Curriculum Strategy and the research behind it, go to www.presidentsleadershipclass.org.

    Required Courses

    • PRLC 1810 Ethical Leadership
    • PRLC 1820 Community Issues in Leadership
    • PRLC 2820 Multilevel Issues in Leadership
    • PRLC 3810 Global Issues in Leadership
    • LEAD 4000 Leadership in Context and Emerging Challenges (required for the Minor in Leadership Studies)

    Scholarship Programs and Opportunities

    PLC offers many scholarships to fully participating students over the course of their undergraduate career. Though the first-year award is modest, $1,000, students do have the opportunity to apply or be nominated for a number of other scholarships that can substantially help fund their undergraduate education at the close of their freshman year. Below is a list of available scholarships primary to PLC students. All PLC allocated scholarships are dispersed through the Office of Financial Aid, and are calculated directly against the cost of tuition.

    • William A. Douglas Endowment
    • FirstBank Scholars
    • Ball-PLC Scholars
    • El Pomar-SLE
    • Flanagan & Walker Scholarships
    • Hoelscher Memorial Scholarship
    • Annabelle K. Lutz Voss Scholars
    • David A. Van Landschoot Family Scholarship
    • Leo Hill Endowment
    • PLC Enrichment Fund Scholarship
    • PLC Student Fellowship

    Leadership Studies Minor

    The Newton Chair in Leadership now offers a minor in leadership. The Leadership Studies Minor is a valuable academic program available to all undergraduates regardless of major or college. The Leadership Studies Minor provides academically based leadership training that incorporates:

    • Understanding the broad context of leadership theory
    • Gaining a historical context of leadership
    • Developing core competencies
    • Practicing and observing leadership experiences

    The Presidents Leadership Class provides a deliberate and unique pathway for its students to earn the Leadership Studies Minor. The course list below provides the requirements needed to earn the minor through PLC:

    • PRLC 1810 Fulfills Foundations Course requirement (substitute for LEAD 1000)
    • PRLC 1820 Fulfills Leadership Foundations requirement
    • PRLC 2820 Fulfills Leadership Application requirement
    • PRLC 3810 Fulfills Leadership in Context
    • LEAD 4000 Capstone