We believe that the richest and deepest learning happens when academics are combined with hands on experience and interaction with leaders who have life experience and lessons to share. The major experiential components of the PLC curriculum include the following activities.
Orientation Weekend (Freshman and Sophomore Year): Orientation Weekend provides PLCers with a unique environment to begin building the community essential to wrestling with the challenging leadership issues encountered during PLC. The retreat's most important purposes are: to orient scholars to the goals of PLC, to welcome scholars into the PLC community, and to begin experimenting with leadership fundamentals like problem solving, teamwork, communication, and vision.
Speaker Series (Freshman and Sophomore year): Speaker series is a weekly activity integrated into regular PLC courses for freshmen and sophomore students. The lectures, which occur during the course time on Tuesday evenings, are composed of a two-hour presentation and general class discussion (question and answer period) by a knowledgeable leader or panel of leaders in the community. The speakers address a variety of leadership, ethical, and issue-oriented topics presented in a participatory fashion. Occasionally, lectures focus on the development of fundamental skills, including such skills as public speaking and negotiating. Staff members make a conscientious effort to integrate the speaker series topics closely with discussion and readings assigned for recitation groups. The series also provides an opportunity for the scholars to hear speakers from a variety of cultural and occupational backgrounds.
Examples of past speakers include:
Jim Collins, bestselling author of Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall
Barbara Grogan, founder and former CEO of Western Industrial Contractors and member of the PLC Board of Directors
Hank Brown, Former U.S. Senator, former President of the University of Colorado
Tom Cech, Nobel Laureate and Professor at CU BoulderRichard D. Lamm, former Governor of Colorado
Kristin Waters, Assistant to the Superintendent for Reform and Innovation, Denver Public Schools
Richard D. Lamm, former Governor of Colorado
Rev. Leon Kelly, Executive Director of Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives
Lloyd Lewan, former Dean of Semester at Sea and former Chairman of Lewan and Associates
Rollie Heath, Colorado State Senator; Partner, NorthStone Group; former President, International Division, Johns Manville
Maria Guajardo, Director of Mayor's Office of Education and Families
Andrew Romanoff, former Colorado Speaker of the House
Doug Price, President, Rocky Mountain PBS; former CEO, FirstBanks of Colorado, PLC Alumnus
Discover Colorado/Urban Experience Weekends (Freshman and Sophomore years): Each semester, first-year scholars participate in a full weekend of experiential programming. During the Discover Colorado weekends, scholars meet with experts in an area that is crucial and unique to the economic and social development of Colorado. Through this, scholars gain a clearer understanding of the important role business, government, culture, education, and science play in Colorado's development. For example, a weekend designed to examine the criminal justice system in Colorado, might include visits to: the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility, Colorado Springs Probation Office, Colorado Department of Corrections, Denver Juvenile Court, Public Defender's Office, and Gilliam Youth Services Center.
The Urban Experience program provides scholars with an increased awareness of various social issues facing urban communities. On an Urban Experience weekend, scholars gain insight from experts on such issues as urban renewal, crime, public education, the role of religion in creating community, and the need for strong arts programs in urban communities. A sample Urban Experience agenda might include a visit with leaders at the Urban League of Metro Denver, Urban Peak, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Science and Cultural Facilities District, the Mayor's Commission on Youth, Denver Urban Gardens, and the Denver Rescue Mission.
Global Programs: In today's world, it is of pressing importance that tomorrow's leaders have a global perspective. Consequently, the Presidents Leadership Class has developed a Global Programs initiative to provide the knowledge and skills PLC graduates will need to lead in a global context. PLC Global Programs is dedicated to creating unique international opportunities for PLC scholars such as bringing international leaders as guest lectures, studying issues of global importance, recruiting larger numbers of international students into the program, and providing cross cultural immersion and communication opportunities. PLC also strongly encourages its scholars to study or travel abroad as part of their four-year program. Recently, PLC has developed a partnership with the Orbis Institute whose mission is global leadership development in youth. Through this partnership PLC expects to expand its international opportunities for scholars over the next few years.
PLC Service Learning: PLC believes that servant leadership is an essential aspect to a leadership curriculum and for this reason almost every component of the program includes an aspect of learning through service. Students are asked to do both group community service projects with their recitations and individual community service projects in the areas about which they are most passionate. Community service is not something our students participate in only to meet program requirements. Many scholars continue their community service projects long after the official semester ends.
Walkabout: Anytime after the first year, scholars pursue semester-long internships with business, non-profit, and government organizations of their choosing. Outstanding business leaders from top companies, along with state and national civic leaders, play a key role in the PLC curriculum and broaden the many internship opportunities exclusively available to PLC scholars. In recent years scholars have worked with such organizations as: IBM, University Press, Children's Hospital, Denver District Attorney's Office, National MS Society, Izzy Beverages, 9 News, Boulder City Council, and the Colorado General Assembly.
Career Round Tables: Students have the opportunity to meet with professionals in their future fields and gain knowledge from their experiences to help with career planning. PLC hosts Round Table groups throughout the year in such areas as: medicine, public service, media, education, law, and business. Each Round Table includes a small group of students who attend a discussion with professionals from different focuses within each field. For instance, a Career Round Table on education might include an elementary school teacher, a high school counselor and teacher, a university professor, a school principal, and someone who works with the legislature on educational policy issues. A small group of 15-20 scholars meets with these professionals and each student is able to ask specific questions about career paths, focus, or any other areas of interest.
Godparent Groups: Godparent Groups provide an opportunity for current scholars to get to know alumni, board members, parents, and community leaders and usually consists of a sponsor from one of those constituencies hosting 7-10 current scholars in an informal gathering. In the past, sponsors have held a meal at their home, taken students out to dinner, attended a ball game, or organized a night at the bowling lanes, with the aim of creating a relaxing environment in which scholars can get to know the leader in attendance. Godparent Groups are held throughout the academic year and are a great opportunity to meet the larger PLC community.
