FSU freshmen to develop leadership skills at ninth annual Service Leadership Seminar

Tallahassee is a city of public servants, and Florida State University students are no exception. More than 30 incoming FSU freshmen are planning to join this population of civic leaders at the ninth annual Service Leadership Seminar, taking place Aug. 16-20.

“The Service Leadership Seminar welcomes new students to Florida State and Tallahassee through an engaging and exciting curriculum designed to teach FSU students how to make a difference in our community,” said Laura Osteen, director of the university’s Center for Leadership and Civic Education.

Florida State freshmen who attend the Service Leadership Seminar will be exposed to ways they can serve the Tallahassee community. They will visit and provide community service at several nonprofit agencies, including America’s Second Harvest, the Damayan Project, Children’s Home Society and Westminster Oaks. The seminar uses the Higher Education Research Institute’s Social Change Model of Leadership Development to teach, enable and empower students to lead for positive, sustainable change in their communities.

“The Service Leadership Seminar helps incoming students build on their leadership skills by becoming involved in the Tallahassee community,” said TaRhaun Russ, an FSU senior from Miami and one of the seminar’s student coordinators. “This experience is very rewarding for us because once students complete the program, they continue to stay involved in the community throughout their time at Florida State.”

Guest speakers include Vice President for Student Affairs Mary Coburn, who will give welcoming remarks and stress the importance of service and leadership at Florida State and in Tallahassee.

“At Florida State University, we are committed to instilling the importance of service in our students,” Coburn said. “The Service Leadership Seminar presents students with a unique opportunity in learning what it truly means to be a servant leader.”

The Service Leadership Seminar is sponsored by the Center for Leadership and Civic Education. The center, part of the Division of Student Affairs, enhances the education of students for responsible citizenship and effective leadership. Other sponsors include Publix, Winn-Dixie, Costco, Brueggers Bagels, Bagelheads, the Florida State University Student Government Association and Oglesby Union.

For more information on the Service Leadership Seminar, call the Center for Leadership and Civic Education at (850) 644-3342 or visit www.thecenter.fsu.edu.