Servant Leadership

The undergraduate Servant Leadership Program at CSU is a comprehensive program committed to developing future leaders who practice the servant leadership philosophy. The Program is a collaborative partnership between CSU and the Columbus community. Participants are given the opportunity to develop leadership skills through exciting and innovative leadership classes, hands-on modeling of leadership practices, participation in community service projects, and much more. Scholarship members of the program are competitively selected and awarded a $1,250 stipend each semester for successful completion of the program requirements.

In addition to the traditional stipend program, the Servant Leadership Program at CSU includes the Associate Program. The Associate Program enables any student who is interested in leadership development to take the leadership seminars, participate in community service, and enjoy many of the same benefits as the scholarship students. As stipends become available associate students are eligible to apply for those openings in the program.

Academic Classes

The Servant Leadership Program incorporates eight academic seminars into the 4-year comprehensive program. These seminars begin with an introduction to servant leadership and other popular leadership theories and build on the basic leadership concepts each semester, adding communication skills, leadership examples through film and biography, and an application of principles through teaching and project-based learning.

LEAD 1705

Open to the general student population, incoming freshmen in the program, and incoming associates, this seminar enables students to define leadership and to understand the concept of Servant Leadership. Students begin to examine their own beliefs about leaders, leadership, and themselves. They are introduced to the current research literature on leadership and become acquainted with various leadership theories. Necessary skills for effective leaders are introduced and practiced through an included community service component.

LEAD 1706

Open to second semester freshmen in the program and associates, this seminar is designed to help students understand themselves in the context of Servant Leadership. This course enables students to understand critical developmental issues for college students and to develop their own personal vision in terms of Servant Leadership. Students examine their definitions of moral leadership and focus on applying universal human values in practical contexts.

LEAD 2705

Open to sophomores in the program, this seminar is designed to help students explore the role of communication in leadership. Those interested in developing skills for authentic communication and in bridging the gap between style and substance find this course especially useful.

LEAD 2706

Open to second semester sophomores in the program, this seminar enables students in the Servant Leadership Program to examine the meanings of coercion, manipulation, and persuasion. Students study sources of credibility, logical argument, and emotional appeals. Ethical application of the principles of persuasion is the focus as the student develops his or her own unique power to persuade.

LEAD 2707

Open to juniors in the program, this seminar enables students to explore lessons in leadership through the timeless art of storytelling--stories told in movies and film. Students practice purposeful viewing of films, discuss principles of servant leadership and write papers that analyze the lessons in leadership.

LEAD 2708

Open to second semester juniors in the program, this seminar enables students to explore lessons in leadership through the lives of servant leaders. Students read biographies, discuss the principles of servant leadership, and make presentations about the lives of servant leaders

LEAD 2709

Open to seniors in the program, this seminar enables students to share their knowledge of servant leadership in educational settings. This may include serving as a teaching assistant for the freshman seminar, planning and facilitating leadership workshops, or teaching leadership lessons in the community.

LEAD 2715

Open to seniors in the program, this seminar enables students to identify and carry out selected projects designed to benefit the campus and/or community. Students write a proposal, develop and execute a plan, and make a final report and presentation. Projects to date have included a leadership conference, planting trees through Trees Columbus, building the CSU Habitat House, and building the Girls Inc. greenhouse.