COLD leadership certificate

Earn a COLD certificate

How do I advance and complete the COLD Certificate?

  • Complete and complete Level I requirements.
  • After completing Level I, you should work on Level II of the program.
  • After completing Level II, students will be able to graduate with "Leadership Honors" and can also begin Level III requirements.
  • Once Level III has been completed, students can graduate with "Leadership Distinction."

Leading Yourself

The Level I certificate focuses on self-leadership. The focus is on helping students develop a better understanding of themselves, their strengths, their values and their most effective leadership styles.

Requirements:

  1. Attend an enrollment workshop.
  2. Participate in one (1) UAF Student Leadership Conference or Retreat Weekend.
  3. Attend eight (8) Leadership Workshops/Events/Activities, choosing one (1) from each of the following categories and complete a reflection sheet on each workshop/event/activity attended:
    1. Realistic Self Appraisal-Learn to articulate personal skills and abilities, acknowledge personal strengths and challenges and articulate rationale for personal behavior. Gain comfort in seeking feedback from others and learning from past experiences.
    2. Personal and Educational Goals-Learn to set, articulate and pursue individual goals. Be able to articulate personal and educational goals and objectives. Learn to use personal and educational goals to guide decisions.
    3. Career Choices-Learn to articulate career choices based on assessment of interests, values, skills and abilities. Learn to construct a resume and cover letter with clear job objectives and evidence of related knowledge, skills and accomplishments. Understand the characteristics of a preferred work environment, better understand the world of work and successfully navigate a job search or application for advanced education.
    4. Independence-Learn to take an in-depth look at self-reliant behaviors, learn more about functioning autonomously and effective time management.
    5. Healthy Behavior-Learn to choose behaviors and environments that promote health and reduce risk. Learn to exhibit behaviors that advance a healthy lifestyle and community. Understand the relationship between health and wellness and accomplishing life long goals.
    6. Enhanced Self Esteem-Learn to show self-respect and respect for others. Learn to take action towards achievement of goals, takes reasonable risks, demonstrates assertive behavior.
    7. Intellectual Growth-Learn to express appreciation for literature, the fine arts, mathematics, sciences and social sciences outside of the classroom.
    8. Satisfying and Productive Lifestyles-Learn to achieve balance between education, work and leisure time. Learn to overcome obstacles that hamper goal achievement and function on the basis of personal identity, ethical, spiritual and moral values.
  4. Complete eight (8) hours of community engagement/volunteer hours and complete a reflection process.
  5. Complete Leadership Feedback form with mentor/advisor.
  6. Meet with the Student Leadership and Involvement Coordinator upon completing the Level I Certificate.

Leading Others and Groups

The Level II certificate builds upon the basic experience gained from completing the Level I certificate program. Level II will enhance students’ abilities to lead others and groups by focusing on interpersonal relationships and the skills necessary to lead from the front.  

Requirements:

  1. Complete Level I Leadership Certificate requirements
  2. Meet with the Student Leadership and Involvement Coordinator, or designee, upon beginning the Level II to establish a completion plan
  3. Attend six (6) Leadership Workshops/Events/Activities, selecting one from each of the following components and complete a reflection sheet on each workshop/event/activity attended:
    1. Effective Communication- Increase your ability to write, speak and listen effectively. Gain comfort making presentations or giving performances.
    2. Meaningful Interpersonal Relationships- Learn to develop and maintain satisfying interpersonal relationships and establish mutually rewarding relationships with friends and colleagues. Learn to listen to and consider others' point of view and treat others with respect.
    3. Collaboration- Learn to seek the involvement and feedback of others. Increase your understanding of working cooperatively with others. Learn to contribute to achievement of a group goal.
    4. Appreciating Diversity- Learn to articulate the advantages and challenges of a diverse society and seek involvement with people different from oneself. Develop an understanding of the impact of diversity on society. Understand ones own identity and culture.
    5. Leadership Development- Deepen the understanding that leadership is a process rather than a position and acknowledge that leadership is relational and everyone has a leadership capacity. Recognize the ethical components of leadership and analyze the contexts that influence the leadership process.
    6. Common Purpose- Learn to facilitate a group's ability to engage in collective analysis of the issue at hand and the tasks to be undertaken.
  4. Actively participate in a campus (or community) club, organization, team, department, etc. of your choice for a minimum of two consecutive semesters.
  5. Complete eight (8) hours of community engagement/volunteer hours (in addition to those completed for Level I certificate) and complete a reflection process.
  6. Complete Leadership Feedback form with mentor/advisor.
  7. Meet with the Student Leadership and Involvement Coordinator upon completion.

Leading Change

The Level III Certificate recognizes those UAF students who have made a commitment of excellence to themselves, the UAF Campus and our community as a whole. Students who complete this certificate will possess a clear understanding of who they are and the potential impact their leadership abilities have.  

Requirements:

  1. Successfully complete Level I & II COLD Certificates
  2. Meet with the Student Leadership and Involvement Coordinator, or designee, after beginning the Level III certificate and at the completion of Level III
  3. Attend five (5) Leadership Workshops or Programs, selecting one (1) from each of the following categories and complete a reflection sheet on each workshop/event/activity
    1. Clarified Values- Learn how to make decisions that reflect personal values, scrutinize personal values and beliefs and identify persona, work and lifestyle values and explain how they influence decision making.
    2. Spiritual Awareness- Learn to develop and articulate personal belief systems: understand the role of spirituality in persona l and group values and behaviors.
    3. Social Responsibility- Learn to understand and participate in relevant governance systems. Understand, abide by and participate in the development and maintenance of orderly change of community social and legal standards or norms. Appropriately challenge the unfair, unjust or uncivil behavior of other individuals or groups.
    4. Commitment- Learn to develop the motivational energy to serve and learn how to drive the collective effort. Commitment implies passion, intensity and duration.
    5. Controversy with Civility- Learn to recognize the two fundamental realities of any creative group effort: that differences in viewpoint are inevitable and that such differences can and must be aired openly but with civility.
  4. Participate in one (1) UAF alternative break program or other equally in-depth community service project.
  5. Actively participate in a leadership role in a campus (or community) club, organization, team, department, etc. of your choice for a minimum of four consecutive semesters
  6. Successfully complete one of the approved academic leadership courses.
  7. Complete a Nanook Legacy project:
    • The legacy project is an opportunity for students to implement what they have learned by creating a lasting program, event, initiative, etc. at UAF.   Students can choose the type of Legacy Project they want to implement, with advisement from the SLI program. Students are empowered to create a change they want to see through their Legacy Project. Projects should meet a need, be thought provoking, problem solving, and sustainable after the student has graduated. 
  8. Meet with the Student Leadership and Involvement Coordinator upon completion