Leadership Development
BEAR (Be Engaged And Roar) Into Leadership
The Office of Student Life offers opportunities to help students identify and develop their leadership skills. We strive to create a sense of community that promotes equity, social justice, self-discovery, student achievement, and diversity through the creation and support of student-centered initiatives and activities. This mission is accomplished through the development of personal educational opportunities and training as well as active engagement and participation in campus and community life.
First-Year Experience (FYE) Leadership Program
The First-Year Experience (FYE) Leadership Program is an onboarding program to help you acclimate to New York Tech and learn to be a part of our culture of doers, makers, and innovators. The program includes the following core activities:
- Career: You’ll use Traitify, an interactive online interest and personality assessment, to help identify your interests, skills, abilities, and begin to chart a general career strategy and career path. You’ll then meet with a Career Services counselor to learn how to interpret and set your results into action.
- New York Tech 101: Focus on developing a “growth mindset” and how it can help you succeed at New York Tech. Learn how to access and share resources to help you succeed academically.
- Financial Literacy: Get a basic understanding of how to make smart financial decisions and what resources are available to help you succeed financially.
- Diversity and Inclusion: We live and work in an increasingly diverse world. It’s important to learn how to embrace and build a more inclusive community.
In addition, you’ll need to take a number of core and elective courses from the following categories.
- Do: Build your mission statement, then get involved with student life activities or clubs, become a mentor, or explore New York City.
- Make: Learn how to build healthy social relationships, then try service learning or get some important study tips and time management advice.
- Innovate: Polish your strengths and develop new skills to learn the truths of leadership.
Upon completion, you’ll receive a certificate of completion, be honored at the Student Life Awards Ceremony at the end of the academic year, and have the opportunity to join Phi Eta Sigma or the National Society of Leadership and Success honor society for high-achieving, first-year students.
Blue and Gold Tracks
This program is for current students. Each track includes five core workshops and two elective workshops to be completed consecutively over two semesters (one academic year)
The Blue Track focuses on developing self-awareness so you can lead others. Monthly workshops address five core topics: diversity, financial literacy, growth mindset and communication skills, interviewing technique, and sexual assault and Title IX. You can then choose two electives including career days, dining etiquette and SMART goals, history of New York Tech, and self-empowerment/self-care.
Once the Blue Track is completed, you’ll be able to sign up and participate in the Gold Track in the next semester.
The Gold Track focuses on transferring your acquired skills to your professional community and building leadership experiences. Through ongoing workshops and projects, you’ll explore career mapping, planning, and interviewing; effective workplace communication skills; group/team management; navigating through conflict; networking skills; peer mentoring/coaching; servant leadership; and workshop facilitation.
Upon successful completion of either track, students will receive a certificate of completion, have the opportunity to be inducted into one of many honor societies, and will be honored at the annual Student Life Awards Ceremony.
For more information about these leadership programs, contact the Office of Student Life at leadership@nyit.edu.