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CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Back to Students Life Home Page The Center for Excellence in Student Leadership was established by the Wiley College Board of Trustees on November 2, 2007 to unify a range of leadership programs offered by the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services. Wiley College seeks to meet strategically the unique challenges and needs of a diverse community through initiatives that promote student excellence and leadership. The Center will serve as the administrative hub for twenty-five programs that endeavor to provide a balanced educational experience and advance the connection between spiritual development, academic excellence and purpose-driven leadership. Leadership development is central to the mission of the center and influences its integrated programmatic approach. The Center provides opportunities for students to gain hands on experience, interact with accomplished practitioners, and apply classroom theory to real-world and conceptual models. Through its efforts, the Center seeks to cultivate a cadre of ethical, spiritually-centered students who possess the critical knowledge to assume leadership roles in the college or university setting , in the community at-large, nationally and globally. A preliminary effort of the Center is to build capacity, identify collaborative partners and create sustainable mechanisms for the expansion and delivery of quality services to the students of Wiley College and community stakeholders. THE WILEY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE The Center for Excellence in Student Leadership will be housed on the historic campus of Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. Founded in 1873 by the Freedman’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Wiley holds the distinction as being the first accredited Historically Black College (HBC) west of the Mississippi. Currently, the College is the largest private, four-year liberal arts HBC institution in Texas. Among its many noteworthy accomplishments, Wiley College is the home of the inspiring story of Dr. Melvin Tolson and the championship debate team featured in the 2007 movie The Great Debaters starring and directed by Denzel Washington. Wiley College has had a longstanding commitment to excellence in teaching, advising, scholarship and service. AT THE CENTER OF WILEY’S FUTURE The Center for Excellence in Student Leadership is uniquely positioned to play a vital role in the future of Wiley College. Through sound programs, competent staff and intellectually stimulating experiential activities, the Center has quickly become a model that other institutions will want to emulate. The exciting renaissance at Wiley College has set the stage for the eventual goal of the of the expansion of campus infrastructure to include first-class facilities for the Center for Excellence in Student Leadership. The Center envisions the construction of a building to house administrative offices for staff, lecture and seminar rooms, common areas for group meetings, student tutorial lounges, a conference room, a multi-purpose room that can be used for banquets and rehearsals, an office/hospitality room for guest speakers, and a small auditorium, all of which will be supported by state-of-the-art technology and resources, including Wi-Fi, computers, and a virtual reality/video viewing lab. To accomplish these goals, the Center will endeavor to develop partnerships with individuals, corporations and organizations that share Wiley College’s vision. INTEGRATED APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Wiley College’s conceptualization of the Center has been guided by the underlying philosophy that student learning takes place through sound, area specific, knowledge-based opportunities to put theory into practice. In particular, it has identified a five-pronged approach to developing effective student leaders through co-curricular experiences. The five categories will enhance and promote the following: Theory in Action * Communication Skills * Ethics and Values * Community Service * Social Skills |
#10. Athletics:
Men’s and women’s varsity basketball, track and field, men’s baseball, and women’s volleyball.
