Leadership Education at Rutgers

Want to develop your leadership skills, but not sure who's offering programs relating to your interests?  Here is our listing of information on leadership programs supportive of women's leadership at Rutgers.  Whether you are a future engineer, teacher or politician, there is sure to be a program on our list that focuses on leadership in your field.

Leadership does not always mean simply political leadership, as students involved in the Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Math, Science, and Engineering will remind you. Douglass Project is an umbrella organization that sponsors numerous programs for students on campus, including the Douglass Science Institute Program and the Douglass Science Weekend Academy for high school students, Project SUPER and leadership roles in the high school pre-college programs for college students.

Project SUPER is an innovative program that engages first-year Douglass College women and College of Engineering women who reside at Douglass College in co-curricular activities designed to enrich academic performance and expand knowledge of research and career opportunities in the physical sciences, life sciences and engineering. Project SUPER begins with a 5-day residential orientation during which students can explore options in math, science, and engineering, meet other undergraduate students, participate in hands-on experiments and more. During the academic year, Project SUPER students participate in group and faculty mentoring programs, attend workshops on skills and career development, enroll in a research process course and receive a stipend for a research internship.

For more information on Project SUPER and other Douglass Project programs, check out their web site or e-mail them at dougproj@rci.rutgers.edu.




The mission of the Douglass Scholars program is to attract academically talented students to Douglass College and provide intellectual and scholarly enrichment to them, as well as to assist students in the process of formulating their academic and career choices through advising. Students admitted to this honors program are required to take 2 Douglass Scholars honors seminars in their first year of college and 1 in their second year. Students admitted into the Douglass Scholars program can also take advantage of academic advising and extra-curricular activities offered through the program.

Students are admitted to the Douglass Scholars program either as incoming first year students or, based on high academic performance, at the end of their first year of college. Once admitted, a student remains a Douglass Scholar through graduation unless she fails to meet the on-going academic standards for the program

For more information on the Douglass Scholars program, please contact Deirdre Kramer, Director of the Douglass Scholars Program at dakramer@rci.rutgers.edu.




DC PLEN is the campus branch of the national Public Leadership Education Network, based in Washington, DC. Through the national PLEN office, DC PLEN offers an annual series of four seminars that give students the opportunity to meet with a wide variety of women leaders and public-policy makers. Students interested in internship opportunites in government or policymaking either Washington, DC or Trenton should check out the national PLEN and DC PLEN internship programs! Additionally, DC PLEN offers a series of speakers on campus in the spring semester to discuss women's public and political leadership through their own experiences.

Students interested in public or political leadership can get involved in DC PLEN at any point in their college career. Sandra Marshall, DC PLEN Coordinator, offers informational meetings on campus during the beginning of each semester. For more information about these meetings or the DC PLEN program in general, check out the national PLEN web site, look for campus announcements and postings or e-mail Sandra Marshall directly by clicking here!




First year students at Douglass College should check out the Emerging Leaders program. This leadership development program begins with a weekend retreat off-campus, followed by weekly sessions focusing on various aspects of leadership, including: mentoring, networking, public speaking, assertiveness, critical thinking, and more.

This program is open to any first year Douglass student on an application basis. Selection criteria include grades, recommendations and the contents of the application itself. For more information on this program should check out the official web site at www.rci.rutgers.edu/%7edccenter/el/.




The Leadership Scholars Program offered by the Institute for Women's Leadership offers women throughout Rutgers University the opportunity to learn more about leadership through study and practice. Leadership Scholar students deepen their understanding of leadership and women's contributions to social change, learn about the issues and porblems specific to their academic interests and majors, develop and implement their own social action project, and make connections to other areas of the university and community through internships with women leaders in non-profit organizations and corporations

Unlike other leadership programs, the Leadership Scholars program includes a 15 credit curricular program, as well as co-curricular activities and workshops. Students who are interested in women's leadership, as well as internship opportunities, social activism and change, should contact Mary Trigg, Program Director, by e-mail at trigg@rci.rutgers.edu.




Sponsored by the Center for American Women and Politics, the NEW Leadership program educates and empowers college women to actively participate in political leadership and activism by connecting students to the worlds and work of activists, politicians and public policymakers. This year-long program begins with a week long residential leadership institute held on the Cook/Douglass campuses during June, during which time students meet with women public officials and political leaders and learn leadership skills, such as public speaking, advocacy, and leading in a diverse society. NEW Leadership students then return to their campuses and communities to apply these leadership skills through leadership projects and experiences that serve their schools or communities.

NEW Leadership New Jersey is open to all women attending college in New Jersey, including all Rutgers University students. Participants apply to attend the NEW Leadership program in the late fall and winter. Despite the costs of a residential program, CAWP's generous supporters ensure that students pay nothing to attend this program.

For more information on the NEW Leadership program, including application forms, check out the program's web site at www.newleadership.rutgers.edu.



The Senior Transitional Leadership Program at Douglass College is a new leadership development program with an emphasis on preparing students for the transition from college to graduate school and the working world. Students will have the opportunity to concentrate on a variety of transitional issues and apply their leadership skills and experiences.

While this program is new to campus, Douglass students can look forward to workshops covering workplace politics, financial planning, networking, understanding policymaking boars, and much more. Second semester juniors and all seniors will be eligible to apply to this 6-week long program.