The Leadership Experience Program
Develop and Hone Your Leadership Skills
The Leadership Experience provides students with a comprehensive, hands-on learning experience that focuses on leadership theory, practice, and development. Participants will have opportunities to learn about leadership foundational theories and their day-to-day application, explore social responsibility and citizenship, and develop a personal leadership philosophy and vision for continued development as a leader. Successful completion of the program will result in an official notation on your Southern Miss transcript and the receipt of a certificate signed by the University president and provost.
What will I learn?
The Leadership Experience is a great opportunity for you to enhance your existing leadership skills.
- You will gain critical leadership and personal development skills that will help you excel personally and professionally, both inside and outside of the classroom.
- At the end of the program, you’ll have a professional portfolio documenting your experiences that you can share with potential employers or graduate schools.
- The Leadership Experience is open to all USM students with a desire to further develop and hone their leadership skills. Special scholarships or memberships are not required.
Faculty Affiliates
MEET OUR COORDINATOR AND AFFILIATE FACULTY
Do you have a question about the Leadership Experiences certificate? Click above to
get the contact information for the program coordinator.
Participate in Leadership Experiences Outside of Class
To complete the certificate, you must engage in a leadership experience outside of class. Potential leadership experiences include:
- Organizing an initiative or event with others
- Attending an Alternative Spring Break trip
- Serving as president of a student organization
- Participating in Study Abroad
- Performing 2+ hours of service a week with the same agency, minimum total of 20 hours
- Present at a conference with a team
Availability
| Certificate Plan | Availability |
|---|---|
| The Leadership Experience Certificate | Hattiesburg |
How do I sign up?
Students wishing to begin the certificate program or those who want to see what it is all about should enroll in IDS 181 for the fall semester (Luckyday Scholars will enroll in IDS 110).
To officially add the Leadership Experience Certificate, you will need to add the certificate in SOAR. Instructions for doing so can be found on the Changing Your Major page of the University Advisement Center and in the FAQs below. The abbreviation for our program is TLECP. If you have questions or need assistance adding the certificate, email leadershipFREEMississippi.
FAQs
Absolutely! This certificate is open to any student in any major.
No, there is no additional fee for the certificate.
You add the certificate in SOAR
-
- Navigate to Enrollment >
- Click on Change of Major (UGRD ONLY) >
- Click Add/drop a double major option >
- Click on Add/Drop Certificate Program link (choice d)
- Fill out the form and submit. Our program is TLECP.
You must complete the certificate by the end of your graduating semester.
Yes, you can apply for the certificate as soon as you have completed all course and co-curricular requirements. A student may want to complete the certificate early so that they can list it as completed on a resume for internships, jobs, and other opportunities.
Via SOAR (just like the application for degree for your major)