Oct. 5, 2011
By Chardonnai Johnson, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - "The question is not are you able, but are you willing to do what it takes?" reads the sign on the door of football academic counselor, Brady Rourke's office. The saying is not only something to inspire, it summarizes the goal of the Athletic Director's Leadership Institute, a program that Rourke and six advisory team members designed to build leadership skills among student athletes.
Established in 2007, the ADLI provides a way for student athletes to construct an understanding of leadership as a whole by identifying many leadership theories and perspectives and teaching the athletes to recognize the similarities and differences between each.
The program serves to help every member develop his or her own personal leadership style that can be used after graduation and beyond.
"The ADLI Advisory Team felt it was important to help develop these student athletes' leadership abilities," said Rourke. "That way they can develop their own leadership style and then take that into the teams and organizations in which they work and become better leaders."
As a comprehensive educational experience, the ADLI provides three levels of leadership development in accordance with semester standings. The student athletes' sophomore standing serves as level one in the program and senior standing serves as the final phase in the institute.
Each phase in the ADLI guides its members through a set curriculum of activities that educate and aid personal growth. In order to remain an active member, the student athletes must complete the activities assigned in each phase. Rourke said these activities can be anything from presentations to conferences, and discussion board posts.
"Last Tuesday we had a leadership seminar," said Rourke. "We broke the students up into groups of eight and gave them a leadership characteristic that we felt was important in leadership. Each team had to present why that characteristic was important and had to visually represent it on a poster board and present it to the rest of the institute. The student-athletes were impressive. It was a great start to the ADLI academic year."
Applying for the ADLI is a three-step process said Rourke.
"Students fill out the two page application," said Rourke. "We also want to get nominations from coaches, peers, or academic advisors demonstrating that this person possesses a certain desire to want to do something extra. The last step is a formal interview with the advisory team."
The interview helps the advisory team get a feel for the interested student and their pre-existing leadership skills Rourke said. Furthermore, the interview provides interview experience which can be beneficial for internships or jobs in the future.
"The students come in business casual attire," said Rourke. "We run them through about a 15-minute question and answer session to get a feel for how passionate and engaged they are in being a part of the institute."
The advisory team contacts the student to inform them if they are accepted and then the student begins their journey to understanding and developing leadership.
In addition to the leadership development activities, the ADLI members have access to model leaders who serve as mentors and role models for the athletes. These model leaders and advisory team members are professionals on campus who help guide the students through the curriculum and ensure successful completion of the activities.
"Depending on what year they are in school, they're admitted to a certain advisory team member and cohort," said Rourke. "So for the sophomore cohort, a lot of the curriculum is based on understanding their own leadership style and their advisory team member helps with that."
By completing each phase in the ADLI, students create a portfolio of leadership knowledge and resources that is specific to them. Rourke hopes that the leadership skills they learn in the institute will be beneficial not only for their team efforts, but also for their career.
"I want them to have certain edge about them," said Rourke. "They have a higher level of understanding of what it takes to get to the top. They desire to lead and be in management positions. They have a certain charisma about them that is infectious. You know they will succeed."
Rourke also said that he hopes that their participation in the institute will have a lasting impact and give them a leg up in the job market.
"That's one of the most rewarding things for us as an advisory team," said Rourke. "When former ADLI members come back and say `I sat down for an interview for my dream job and the first question the employer asked me was about this leadership institute that I was involved with' and students are able to speak eloquently about how this institute had an impact on their life."
It's clear from the mission of the ADLI and the goals that Rourke and the advisory team have for the institute's members that leadership is a very important skill for athletes to master and develop. Rourke himself believes that it is not only beneficial for athletic purposes, but for life after sports.
"One of the years at our welcome social our Athletic Director, Tim Curley, spoke," said Rourke. "He mentioned that everything rises and falls on leadership and I agree. The success of a team or any organization is dependent upon the performance of the leaders of that team."