The Carlson Leadership Academy provides interactive officer training to over 2,600 undergraduates and volunteers annually. Many undergraduates run for executive board positions because they have great goals and visions for their chapter. Attending an Academy ensures an officer will have the skills to manage a committee and follow through on those goals. The program also helps executive boards work together to ensure they all have goals consistent with a unified vision for the chapter.

The Academies are held in the spring, soon after most officer elections, and chapters are encouraged to bring all new officers, rising chapter leaders and engaged volunteers.

Carlson provides education for each specific officer position, as well as strategic planning and goal setting, and chapter leadership. The program emphasizes the use of each officer’s individual strengths to build a complete team. Participants spend time on chapter analysis, large and small group sessions and informal interactions with other chapters. Participants will enhance their skill sets and leadership abilities to help them as chapter officers, in other leadership roles, in group projects and eventually in the work force for the rest of their lives.

 

Chapter officers will return to campus with a better understanding of their position, as well as a holistic strategy for moving their chapter forward. More than 150 seasoned volunteers from across the country share their experiences as facilitators during the program.

 

Carlson also provides an appropriate venue for the presentation of awards, recognizing chapters and individual undergraduates and volunteers for notable achievements in recruitment, development and scholarship. To learn more about the awards presented at Carlson, see the awards page. The program is a celebration of all that SigEp has accomplished over the previous year.