TRU President Dr. Alan Shaver hands an award for Community Leadership to Rien Okawa

Newly appointed Thompson Rivers University president, Dr. Alan Shaver presented the first ever Personal Leadership Certificates to TRU student leaders today in the Campus Activity Centre.

TRU students were recognized for the volunteer efforts that have qualified them for the new Personal Leadership Certificate, the first of three levels of leadership development formally offered through the Student Leadership Program. It was the first time the university has officially recognized students for meeting all of the requirements for the “Personal Leadership Certificate”.

Forty students met strict requirements for receiving the certificate for the first tier of the program that focuses on self discovery as the students explored their strengths, values and personal leadership style. To practice leadership, students were also asked to volunteer at TRU or in the community. The student leaders participating in the program offered more than 950 hours of volunteer time to build student clubs, encourage environmental stewardship, celebrate diversity, build awareness of homelessness in the community, and to support community social service programs. This morning they were invited to breakfast and to receive their certificates from Dr. Alan Shaver, TRU President and Vice-Chancellor.

“One of the most important things we can do at TRU, is encourage our students to use their education to improve our communities and our world,” Student Leadership Program Coordinator, Alana Frymire said. “Students who participate in the Student Leadership Program are learning skills which will help them first to realize that we are all capable of being leaders and then to discover how they can use their knowledge to better our world.”

There are 3 levels – personal leadership certificate, team leadership certificate and community leadership certificate. In levels two and three of the Student Leadership Program, students will learn foundational skills to help them be effective leaders of teams and finally to be leaders in the greater community. This term, students will be able to earn a “Team Leadership Certificate”.