ASUSU organizes seminar to teach leadership
The Institute for Communication and Leadership, in conjunction with ASUSU officers, is offering a professional development seminar covering topics such as interpersonal communication and conflict resolution.
“We’re looking to help our students gain the edge in the job market,” said ASUSU president Tyler Tolson.
The classes will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on March 3, 17 and 31, in the Eccles Conference Center. ASUSU council’s cooperation, along with the services Eccles Conference Center have contributed to the lower cost of the training. Students may register for the event online for a fee of $40, and attendees who complete all three classes will be presented with a certificate of completion.
Matt Sanders, assistant professor of speech communication is one of the founders of the Institute for Communication and Leadership. Sanders said that he wanted to provide students with training that they would otherwise have to get from a corporate training program. To attend such a program, a resident of Cache valley would often have to travel long distances and pay as much as $200.
Price and location are not the only differences between the upcoming seminar and corporate training; the seminar uses a different approach to teaching skills, Sanders said.
“A lot of these programs will say, here are three things you need to do in order for people to trust you … it’s kind of a cause-and-effect silver bullet idea,” Sanders said.
Through role playing exercises and assignments for the attendees to apply the skills they’ve learned, Sanders said that the content of the course is designed for group participation and immediate application.
A large portion of course will focus on conflict resolution.
“We’re all good with people, but we’re good with the people that we like to be good with and we like to be around. I think the bigger question is, can I be good with people when things are tough?” Sanders said.
Sanders said that communication courses are already offered at USU, but that availability is limited and the classes often fill up the day they open.
Tolson said he would like the seminar to become a regular event, giving more students the opportunity to attend. Several students have emailed him expressing desire to attend, though because of scheduling conflicts they won’t be able to attend this time around, Tolson said.
Bertha Morris, an undeclared sophomore hoping to enter the business program at USU is one such student. Morris said she found out about the seminar through the USU website and thought it would be a good way to gain marketable skills. If it were possible, Morris said she would like to see such seminars offered two or three times a semester for the benefit of students and faculty.
“Because I’m a mother of four kids, I work full time, I go to school part time, I don’t have a lot of opportunities. When something like this comes along, I want to take advantage of it … so I can make more money for my family,” she said.
– steve.kent@aggiemail.usu.edu