Academy for Leadership Development

First-Year Leadership Academy

The First-Year Leadership Academy (FLA) is a comprehensive leadership program for students in their first year at UAF. This year long program encompasses bi-weekly meetings to cover topics required for completing Level One of the COLD certificate. There will be opportunities to attend conferences, workshops, and participate in service work. FLA allows incoming students to make connections and grow their leadership skills. The program aims to help students explore who they are as leaders and how to influence change at UAF and beyond.

 

$500 scholarship associated with the successful completion of this program.

 

 

Program Highlight

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Virgie Dunlap-King Academy for Social Change

The Virgie Dunlap-King (VDK) Academy for Social Change is a program designed to help students discover their potential for becoming change makers in our community. The academy is intended for student leaders who want to make an impact on our campus. The academy will include service work, mentorship opportunities, and working on a student's personal leadership journey - all with a cohort to grow and learn with. Students will also have the opportunity to graduate with Leadership Distinction through our COLD Certificate Program.

 

$1,000 scholarship associated with the successful completion of this program.

 

History of the Academy

The Virgie Dunlap-King (VDK) Academy for Social Change is a program designed to help students discover their potential for becoming change makers in our community. The academy is intended for student leaders who want to make an impact on our campus. The academy will include service work, mentorship opportunities, and working on a student's personal leadership journey - all with a cohort to grow and learn with.

This academy is in remembrance of Virgie M. Dunlap-King. Virgie taught English at Tanana Middle School for 24 years before retiring in 1997. During her time there, she realized there was a lack of Black educators in the schools as well as in Administration positions. With minimal representation, Black students weren’t receiving the mentorship that they needed. As a result, she put together the idea of a conference to provide students the opportunity to interact with professionals who looked like them. For the past 32 years, the African-American Student Leadership Conference (AASLC) has brought speakers from around the nation to facilitate workshops concerning self-esteem, goal-setting, higher education, Black history, and public service.

The African-American Student Leadership Conference (AASLC) project was dreamed up and designed by Virgie and continued her legacy of advocating for students. During her time in college Virgie was an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement. She marched alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. and worked directly with Stokley Carmichael. She knew that action solves problems and even organized a boycott of businesses in her hometown that treated Black customers poorly.

An active member of multiple civil rights and service organizations, she often held office or represented local chapters on the national level. Her commitment and work have left a lasting imprint on her middle school students, Conference attendees, and the city of Fairbanks.

 

 

Program Highlight

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