ASPIRE - Colorado College

ASPIRE

Vision:

To create a structure through which individuals interested in service and leadership can evaluate their personal growth in a leadership role over the course of participating in various service acts through the Center for Service and Learning. All avenues of service are open to participants who will judge their own progress and ability through reflection and introspection. The program culminates in a certificate of completion given to participants at a reflection in their honor. In this way, the ASPIRE program will support service leaders at Colorado College and provide them various resources for growth and increased effectiveness in their role.

Goals:

• To provide support and information to student leaders at Colorado College
  
• To teach valuable aspects of leadership and encourage growth
  
• To create a community of dedicated peers who will work together toward a greater understanding of self through participation in service leadership
  
• To prepare circumstances in which potential is revealed among student leaders and growth realized
  
• To enable student service leaders through reflection and introspection, increasing the overall effectiveness and potential of the already strong leaders of Colorado College.

Why:

In teaching leadership skills and establishing circumstances for which progress and evolution can be self evaluated by student service leaders, we believe that both the individuals involved in the program and the campus on the whole will benefit. Knowing oneself, one’s leadership style and one’s strengths and weaknesses can contribute to improvement in leadership and in life. Colorado College is lucky to possess driven and dedicated service leaders who already play a critical role in the campus community through their hard work and example. The ASPIRE program will assist these individuals in taking their work a step further so they can achieve the self discovery and growth that is only possible through true introspective critical reflections.

How:

• Participants are asked to participate in one service experience as a participant to evaluate and learn from their leader.
  
• They are then asked to serve as a co-leader on a service experience and evaluate and learn from their counterpart.
  
• Finally, participants are asked to lead three service experiences before, during and after which they will evaluate themselves. Journal entries and reflective questionnaires will be utilized for the consolidation of information for each individual.These will be completed for the benefit of each individual in their progress. Each participant will be guided in their growth and experiences through online resources for leaders provided by ASPIRE and by a Guide who will be a student graduate of the program. Meetings with Elizabeth Pudder, the ASPIRE Intern and with Guides once a block will ensure that participants are on track and are gaining valuable insight from their reflections.

Results:

Participants in the ASPIRE program will gain increased efficiency, confidence and insight into themselves. The skill sets provided for student leaders will translate into various circumstances and will be applicable to numerous leadership roles that students will participate in outside ASPIRE and in their futures beyond Colorado College. The certification received upon completion of the program will prove testament to each participant’s dedication and hard work as well as their progression toward becoming a more well-rounded and self-aware leader. Completion of ASPIRE will be a mark of distinction among student service leaders who have devoted themselves to self-improvement and greater achievements in leadership.