- Is there a difference between Student Leadership Training and Student Section Vitality?
No. The titles Student Leadership and Student Section Vitality are used interchanably.
- What is the Student Section Vitality Task Force?
The Student Section Vitality Task Force is a pilot program to provide proactive leadership coaching to student sections. Trained Leadership Coaches will provide coaching and support the development of leadership and management skills at the student section level. Training modules have been developed on topics that are essential to maintaining a vital student section. Trained Leadership Coaches will take this training out to the student section level and also conduct training at Region Conferences. The training modules can also be used for other purposes such as a section meeting or retreat.
- Why is the Student Section Vitality Task Force needed?
This Task Force is needed to support our student membership and enhance program participation at the student section level. The section is the key component to SWE. We need healthy local sections to survive and thrive as an organization. This effort is to help the local student sections become more vital.
- Who does the Student Task Force consist of?
The task force consists of one to two Leadership Coaches per Region. One coach is a SWE professional member and one coach is a student member. An application process was used to select the members of the task force. The application consisted of the member’s SWE background, references, and an interview. This process helped ensure that people with the right background, qualifications, and personalities were selected. For more information on the leadership coaches in your region check the SLT Homepage.
- What is a Student Leadership Coach?
This is the name that the task force members gave themselves. Their role is to train, provide support, and “coach” the student sections on using their resources fully.
- What kind of help is available?
The Student Leadership Coaches are available to consult with your section leadership and determine the intervention necessary to help the section meet its goals. The training modules and consultations are the main tools available. However, help is not limited to the training modules and can include personal visits, phone calls, e-mails, and individualized assistance.
- What training modules are available?
The modules that have been developed are: Knowledge of SWE, Membership, Finances, Fund development, Diversity, Strategic Planning, Administration and Operations, Communications, Managing a Meeting, Leadership, Team Building, Tactical Planning, Conflict Resolution and Women in Engineering.
- What sections are qualified to receive assistance?
Any section that wants help is encouraged to ask for it. While SWE cannot provide unlimited resources, the section to which an intervention is provided has to assure that it will meet the goals and purpose of the agreement that is jointly prepared before the visit and follow up upon measurable objectives in the report of service. Requests for services to sections may need to be prioritized by the region director and Leadership Coaches. Vitality training is intended for all sections in different situations. Priority may be given to sections needing the most support.
- How is a section selected to receive assistance?
The Leadership Coach for each region will work with the Region Director and review various section performance data to determine which sections would benefit most from section vitality training. The data includes vitality score sheets that sections were asked to fill out, historical membership and financial data.
- How do I request a service?
Contact your Leadership Coach or Region Director. Your Leadership Coach will discuss the section’s current situation and whether a service will provide the tools the section needs at this time. The Leadership Coach and the section will then partner to develop a written “Section Services Agreement” that each will sign to specify the agreements made and define the focus and scope the service and the expected and measurable outcomes of the service. This document and the review of service, jointly written at the end of the service, will be sent to the Region Director as permanent record for follow up.
- How will the program be evaluated?
The sections receiving service will be asked to fill out an evaluation form. This data will be tracked to determine how well the Leadership Coaches are assisting the sections. In addition, data will be kept on how many people the program reaches and through what venues.
- Can I be a Leadership Coach?
Student Leadership Coach positions are available. If you are interested in being a Student Leadership Coach, contact the Student Section Vitality Task Force Chair, Danielle Forget at student.leadership.chair@swe.org or click here for more information.
- How much does it cost?
Student Leadership Coach assistance is free but funds are limited, and priority will be given to the student sections needing the most support. The surrounding schools are invited to the training sessions as well to maximize effectiveness of the Student Leadership Coach’s time.
- What if no one contacts me?
If for some reason, the Student Leadership Coach doesn’t reply to your request in a timely manner, contact the Student Section Vitality Force Chair, Danielle Forget at student.leadership.chair@swe.org.
- What if there is no improvement in our Student Section?
Coaching from Student Leadership Coaches is a tool to help advise student sections on effective leadership techniques. Student section activity improvement will take time and is dependent on each individual section, and depends upon the willingness of the student section leaders themselves to take action. However, the Student Leadership Coaches will work with the section to help in making improvement a reality, using not just the training modules but other support as well.
- Who is the audience for the training modules?
Student section officers and section members are welcome to attend and learn from training modules. Members from nearby student sections can also be invited to participate. Since some of the training modules contain proprietary information, and SWE training is meant to benefit the section itself in overcoming some of its problems, non-members should only be invited to participate if there is an overriding reason for them to do so. After all, leadership training is a benefit of SWE membership.
- What if there is no specific module for the area that we need help in?
Student Leadership Coaches can modify Modules to help apply to individual student sections. Also one-on-one assistance is available.
- Can we have more than one module presented at one time?
Yes, several modules can be presented in one session but more than 3 might be too much information to digest at one time. A second presentation at a later might be more beneficial so that information can be digested and utilized. It might also encourage more participation from members after they hear about what went on at the initial training session.
- How will the Student Leadership Coaches know if we have improved?
Student Leadership Coaches will follow up within a few weeks of an initial visit to see how the section is progressing. Also after the initial visit, additional recommendations for improvement will be made to the particular student section. The section leaders themselves will be able to report on progress being made, such as increased membership, more participation in section activities by members, more interest in section activities by non-members to name a few.
- What is expected from an initial Student Leadership Coach visit?
The Student Leadership Coach and Student Section President will have identified the areas that the section needs help on. The President can request a presentation to the section on specific modules. The Leadership Coach will present the selected modules and ask for feedback from the students.
- What do the Student Leadership Coaches need before they present?
A meeting room, LCD projector connected to a computer capable of running a Power Point presentation, and a dry-erase board or flipchart are needed for presentation. An overhead projector can be used instead of the projector if one is not available. If the projector items aren’t available, photocopies of the presentation are provided. At least two of the modules (Leadership and Meetings) have videotapes that are used as part of the training. If these are given, a TV (at least a 19” screen) and VCR will be required.
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