2. 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS“A leader is one
who knows the
way, goes the
way, and shows
the way.”
- John C. Maxwell
Introduction and Overview ____________ 2
So You Want to Know About LeaderSHOP 3
Content and Planning ________________ 5
How To LeaderSHOP ______________ 6
LeaderSHOP Sessions ______________ 7
How To Market LeaderSHOP ________ 8
A LeaderSHOP Budget _____________ 9
The Leaders of LeaderSHOP ________ 10
Community, LeaderSHOP, & You ______11
Evaluation ______________________ 12
How Was LeaderSHOP? ___________ 13
Conference Presentation _____________ 16
Letters of Recommendation __________ 18
LeaderSHOP Agenda _______________ 20
3. 2
What is LeaderSHOP?
LeaderSHOP is a student-run, 6-hour training that Portland
State University’s RHA and NRHH Executive Boards
developed, organized, and ran for its on-campus student
leaders. The workshop targeted Hall Council members and
NRHH Chapter members, and aimed to provide them with
tools that would help them be successful, informed, and
balanced student leaders. Aside from passing on these tools,
the program was also designed to make the Executive Board
members of both organizations more accessible for support,
giving Hall Councils and Chapter members a chance to
understand their impact in the bigger picture that is PACURH
and NACURH.
INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW
“I paid close
attention to how
people presented
their information
during LeaderSHOP
and have had some
opportunities
throughout other
programs and
organizations to
bring light upon the
subject to my other
teams. “
- NRHH Chapter
member
4. 3
“LeaderSHOP was most valuable in that it facilitated a time early on in the year
for not only respective boards to interact and bond as a team, but also for the
introduction of the separate teams to each other, thus creating a feeling on
unification over the entire campus. “ - Hall Council member
How did the program originate?
In the fall of 2014, the RHA and NRHH Executive Boards identified two needs for their
organizations: training and retention of student leaders. They recognized that Hall Councils
(which had just been formed the previous year) and NRHH Chapter members were
shareholders and stakeholders in on-campus leadership, and deserved access to the same
tools that the Executive Boards received during Fall Training with the Residence Assistants
and other student leader staff. Knowing that it would be fiscally impossible for University
Housing and Residence Life (UHRL) to give every student leader access to Fall Training, they
were inspired to recreate a condensed, day-long training to address some of the most
important and relevant elements from Fall Training to those who could not be there.
What was the education component of the program?
This program was designed to educate student leaders by having them reflect on what
leadership means to them, how they can be better leaders, and how their leadership impacts
the community. Our Leadership Expectations session was designed to challenge people to
consider what leadership is to them. Another educational element was the breakout session
on balance. During this session, the Executive Boards aimed to educate attendees on the
importance of self-care in the leadership process. Lastly, utilizing our departmental and
organizational overviews, they strove to help students understand the larger impact their
leadership and actions had on the community, and to inspire a shared vision.
Who was it for? How did they benefit?
This program was strictly designed for Hall Councils and NRHH Chapter members.
LeaderSHOP not only benefited them by giving them tools to run better programs, but it
taught them communication skills, how to handle group dynamics, how to balance work and
academics, and presented them with teambuilding opportunities and a space to ask questions.
What are the goals and objectives?
Because NRHH Chapter members and Hall Councils do not attend the annual Fall
Training with the Housing Staff (and respective Executive Boards), it is essential for them to
go through some type of leadership training. In order to better our Chapter members and Hall
Councils as leaders, we created LeaderSHOP as a “crash course” of the Fall Training that the
Executive Boards and other Housing Staff endure. The main objectives of this “crash course”
is to teach the Hall Councils and Chapter members what their respective duties are, train
them in the meeting style of Robert’s Rules of Order, teach tools for balance, and other more
specific functions of their relative sister organizations. After the training, members are then
able to jump right into their duties and roles within the organizations with confidence and a
sense of community.
So you want to know about LeaderSHOP
5. 4
RHA Program & Events Coordinator, Becca Howe, leading the first team
builder of the day.
What specific student needs did the program address?
The program met a need to connect Chapter members and Hall Council members with the
organizations they represented. By building connections with the Executive Boards and each
other, attendees found a better sense of community and support within the group of students
they were working with.
How does the program relate to Residence Halls and Residents?
PSU’s RHA and NRHH recognized that if they were to promote on-campus community,
they had to model how, and that Hall Councils and Chapter members would need to be able to
do the same. Combined with sharing the tools they would need for their positions, this
training builds a sense of community on our campus. This community building that we
facilitated has created a ripple effect on the rest of the campus. In Fall Training, we learned
that it takes empowering and supporting 13 people to have a ripple effect on your community.
By building fifty empowered students that are engaged in their on-campus community, this
program’s ripple effect has been changing our campus everyday towards a more positive and
connected one.
How is it Unique?
A great deal of student leadership trainings have a large amount of professional staff
influence, which is something that is not present in LeaderSHOP. LeaderSHOP is completely
student-created and led with the least amount of assistance from professional staff members
as possible. The material is taken from what the Executive Boards learned in their own
training and decided as a team on what is most important. By having this type of training
curriculum, the Executive Boards can explain firsthand on how the topics have benefitted
them, and be able to honestly explain why these topics are important.
So you want to know MORE about LeaderSHOP
6. 5
Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
On Saturday, October 17th in the Ondine Residence Hall at
Portland State University, LeaderSHOP was held from 10:00
am to 4:30pm. The attendees of the training were Hall
Councils and NRHH Chapter members.
LeaderSHOP is designed by students, for students, and with
the intent to empower new student leaders of the Hall
Councils and new NRHH Chapter members to thrive on
campus. Without such a training, both organizations would
not have the ability to be successful leaders at such an early
point in the term.
LeaderSHOP delivers valuable information that not only
allows these new student leaders to be effective on campus in
the residence halls, but also gives them a variety of skills that
they can continue to use for life. The mission of the training is
to create holistically successful students; a mission that is
pursued throughout the entire year and beyond.
CONTENT & PLANNING
“I have used my
training to
effectively lead
meetings and make
appropriate and
captivating
advertisements. I've
also made sure to
have the right
balance of fun and
business, as was
demonstrated in
LeaderSHOP. “
- Hall Council
member
7. 6
Planning Process
The execution of LeaderSHOP was done exclusively by the RHA and NRHH Executive
Boards. The Executive Boards began planning LeaderSHOP about a month prior to its
implementation. This planning process took place during their Fall Training, where they
knew both boards would be present and able to contribute to the design, objectives, structure,
and execution of the training equally. With only two returning members from RHA that had
helped design the first LeaderSHOP the year prior, and one NRHH member who had
attended that previous year as a Chapter Member, the group had several sets of fresh eyes. By
utilizing the knowledge of successes and barriers from the previous year, the team was able to
be more critical about how the training should implemented.
In the early stages of planning, the session topics were established. Between the boards,
each shared their own ideas for possible sessions. After brainstorming an extensive list of
options, the team began to group similar ideas together and eliminate sessions that they
deemed as less important and urgent than others. From these grouped ideas came those that
would become LeaderSHOP’s primary and breakout sessions. Each session was then assigned
to a member based on their strengths and position. By delegating these presentations, each
presenter was given more room to research creative and unique ideas to make each of their
sessions of high quality.
To allow members to focus on their individual sessions, one member from each board was
appointed to head the LeaderSHOP committee. The NRHH Associate Director of Marketing
and the RHA Associate Director chaired the LeaderSHOP committee. They created deadlines,
maintain documentation, and manage the flow of the workshop as a whole. They checked in
with each presenter regularly to create a system of accountability and give support, met with
each other weekly to organize agendas and managed the invitation process. Additionally, they
established what information should be available to the attendees, such as organization
constitutions and budgets. By designating a chair from each executive board, this ensured a
system of accountability within the committee, as well as effective communication between
the organizations.
How to LeaderSHOP
“ This year’s LeaderSHOP had a great atmosphere. Kudos to the whole team
from the ice-breakers to informative and motivating breakout sessions. I
think everything went smoothly and thanks for the small details, such as the
toys.” - NRHH Chapter member
8. 7
LeaderSHOP Sessions
Session One: Department and Organization Overview
Mike Walsh, Director of University Housing and Residence Life, discusses the
impact of student leadership in the residence halls and how UHRL is
determined to create positive experiences for both current and future residents.
Former Director of RHA, Corinne Schneider, NRHH Associate Director of
Recognition, Jason Mocan, and NRHH Associate Director of Operations, Skylar
Session Two: Expectations of Student Leadership
Phil Nguyen, RHA Finance Coordinator, and Shawn Farruggia, NRHH
Director, define what leadership and followership is, how to implement the
Relational Leadership Model, and what can individuals do to be successful
Session Three: Programming and Marketing
Cassidy Johnston, RHA National Communications Coordinator, and Becca
Howe, RHA Program and Activities Coordinator, outline how to create
successful programs, on-campus resources to partner with, and effective
program marketing techniques.
Breakout Session One: Communication and Networking
Corinne Schneider and Cassidy Johnston discuss how to be professional in your
communication, and how to build beneficial relationships within your
organization and outside of your organization.
Breakout Session Two: Balance
Lex Wood, NRHH Associate Director of Marketing, discusses how important
self-care and balance is in the life of a student leader, and gives resources on
how to succeed academically. Outlined in the session are ways to combat
unorganized priorities, stress, and develop SMART goals.
Breakout Session Three: Parliamentary Procedure
Georgi Ryan, RHA Associate Director, and Shawn Farruggia give an
interactive presentation on how to implement Parli Pro in meetings and the
importance of order when having discussions and making decisions.
Session Five: OTMs and Recognition
Jason Mocan and Skylar Wuite discuss what OTMs are and the importance of
recognition both on and off campus.
9. 8
Fliers from Hall Council Elections
Advertisements
Attendance at LeaderSHOP was required for both Hall Councils and NRHH Chapter
members, making advertising a smaller aspect of the training. It was critical that both groups
attended since it was the only formal training that they received. LeaderSHOP was advertised
on every Hall Council Elections flier and application. During the election process, it was
emphasized during each tabling session that attendance at LeaderSHOP was a requirement
for entering any Hall Council position. One week prior to the training, official emails were
sent out to every elected Hall Council member, all NRHH Chapter members, as well as the
organizations’ respective advisors.
How to Market LeaderSHOP
10. 9
Budget
The previous year’s LeaderSHOP was viewed as a success, and a vital part of future leadership
building at Portland State. As a result, both NRHH and RHA developed dedicated line items
in their budget to streamline the process of allocating funds to the purchasing of supplies for
the training. RHA supplied the funds for LeaderSHOP, while NRHH actively sought out
resources on campus to donate supplies and swag for attendees. NRHH communicated with
on-campus organizations, such as University Success (USuccess), the in-hall academic
support center for residential students, and UHRL for such materials.
Shown below is the budget from LeaderSHOP:
Donated Supplies
Folders (USuccess)
Pens (USuccess)
Highlighters (USuccess)
Lanyards (UHRL)
Student planners (PSU Orientation Team)
A LeaderSHOP Budget
Money allocated in RHA budget $500
Total money requested $250
Money spent $211.66
Money remaining in budget $288.34
Amount allocated to snacks, water, and toys $50
Amount spent on snacks, water and toys
Chips
Candy
Water
Toys
$32.66
$17.37
$6.89
$6.65
$6.89
Amount allocated to pizza
Hot Lips pizza
$200
$179
“The most important session I attended at LeaderSHOP was focused on self-health as a stu-
dent leader. It is easy to get completely overloaded with school, work, social obligations, and
leadership roles throughout the year, so the tips introduced on how to balance these things
and take breaks that will actually help facilitate individual productivity was really
important.” - Hall Council member
11. 10
PSU’s RHA & NRHH Executive Boards
Personnel
The RHA and NRHH Executive Boards were both equally involved in the orchestration of
LeaderSHOP. At the time, Portland State University’s RHA Executive Board consisted of five
executive members, and the NRHH Executive Board consisted of four members. It is worth
noting that RHA normally consists of seven members, but two vacant positions were being
filled during the development of the training. These positions were filled the week before
LeaderSHOP, and both new members were required to attend in order to obtain the
information they missed during Fall Training. Aside from the time spent during Fall Training,
the Executive Boards were without a formal advisor for the duration of the planning and
implementation of the training. The Executive Boards utilized the help of Courtney Sandler,
Associate Director of University Housing and Residence Life, and Kayla Green, the Student
Leadership and Engagement Programming Assistant (who had attended LeaderSHOP the
previous year as a NRHH Chapter member), as a resource for major questions about policy or
support when issues arose.
As previously mentioned, the NRHH Associate Director of Marketing and the RHA
Associate Director chaired the formal committee for LeaderSHOP in order to ensure that both
RHA and NRHH were being effectively represented. Each member of the boards were
assigned to conduct at least one session in order to evenly divide the work. From there, the
chairs would delegate additional smaller tasks to executive members whose skill sets matched
them. An example would be the requesting of swag donations from UHRL and USuccess, or
inviting professional staff members to participate in the training.
The Leaders of LeaderSHOP
12. 11
LASTING EFFECTS
Campus/community resources
One campus resource that was asked to contribute materials and information to LeaderSHOP
was University Success (USuccess). USuccess provides a wide range of supports to residential
students in order to help them succeed academically. The program provides Learning
Community Assistants (LCAs) and Resident Academic Mentors (RAMs) as live-in academic
assistance to the residents of Portland State. USuccess also has study lounges with readily
accessible resources such as an available LCA or RAM for immediate support and take-home
information on financial aid, graduate school, on-campus resources, and much more. The
LeaderSHOP committee enlisted the help of USuccess to provide handouts with USuccess-
specific information as well as swag to promote the importance of academic success in not
only elected student leader positions, but among all residents. These handouts were provided
to each attendee and discussed in greater length during the balance breakout session.
Community, LeaderSHOP, and You
“This year’s LeaderSHOP had
a great atmosphere. Kudos to
the whole team from ice-
breakers to informative and
motivating breakout sessions.
I think everything went
smoothly and thanks for the
small details like toys and
stuff.”
“I definitely see the need for a 6-hour
workshop – so much information. I
appreciate all the hands on games and
humor to keep a good flow. Kudos to
Georgi for giving time in explaining in
detail my position.”
“I loved the breakout sessions
and the overall structure of
the event! I think you all did a
great job of covering a wide
variety of topics and including
everyone. The breakout
session on balance was
fantastic.”
Both NRHH Chapter Members and Hall Councils left with positive experiences
at LeaderSHOP. Below are testimonials from the attendees:
13. 12
Evaluation Tools
The Executive Boards used three main tools to evaluate the
success of LeaderSHOP: immediate short free-form responses
and a post-term Google survey from the training attendees,
and a verbal discussion during the Executive Board meetings
following LeaderSHOP.
EVALUATION
“I think that
LeaderSHOP did a
great job of
covering the basic
basis of student
leadership and
provided a good
jumping off point
for the year,
because any more
information
thrown out in a day
would be nearly
superfluous, as
much of student
leadership has to
come from
experience and
hands-on work.” -
Hall Council
member
14. 13
How Was LeaderSHOP?
Free-form responses
The NRHH Associate Director of Marketing delivered closing statements and led a wrap-
up discussion with the attendees at the end of LeaderSHOP. The main goal for the discussion
was to relax and go over the information that was learned during the training that day. After
the discussion, each attendee was asked to anonymously provide free-form feedback to the
Executive Boards on LeaderSHOP as a whole. The feedback ranged from focusing on positive
aspects of the breakout sessions to perhaps changing the time frame of the training.
Verbal discussion
The discussion amongst the Executive Boards was extremely beneficial because
LeaderSHOP is a training that is still in its infancy. With only two Executive Board members
who led LeaderSHOP during the previous year and one who attended as a Chapter member,
the group was able to get fresh perspective from those who were new.
Google survey
While the free-form responses were helpful for immediate evaluation, the Executive
Boards wanted to see how the training benefitted the Hall Councils and NRHH Chapter
members after being in their positions for a term. The survey consisted of four questions
relating to how the Hall Councils and Chapter members used the information that was
learned in LeaderSHOP throughout the course of the term, what parts of the training were
seen as the most beneficial, what should be covered to better prepare them in their positions,
and how could the training change to reflect that feedback. Below are some of the responses
received from the survey:
What skills/information introduced during LeaderSHOP did you
use the most throughout Fall term?
“The most important session I attended at LeaderSHOP was focused on self-
health as a student leader. It is easy to get completely overloaded with school,
work, social obligations, and leadership roles throughout the year, so the tips
introduced on how to balance these things and take breaks that will actually
help facilitate individual productivity was really important.”
“Integrating SMART goals into my life assisted heavily in my routines. In the
past, it was easy to try and set goals that were unrealistic. But the introduction
to SMART goals provided a sense of concreteness and ease within the goal-
achieving process. Having the handout on my desk at all times helps very
often.”
“I was able to learn how to share tasks and allow a more solidified TEAM effort versus
taking on responsibilities on my own like I used to. Learning how to recognize when you
need help is also super important in my opinion, and it has allowed me to be the best pos-
sible version for the sake of any team I am apart of. “ - NRHH Chapter member
15. 14
“I was conscientiously creating posters that appealed to our diverse residents
without alienating any of them. I set SMART goals, taught in a breakout section
during LeaderSHOP. I used the information I got from my RHA counterpart to
successfully create agendas and lead meetings. I also used parli pro quite a bit,
which I learned in another breakout session. “ - Hall Council member
How Was LeaderSHOP?
Now that you have completed your first term in your role as a
student leader, how have you used your training from LeaderSHOP
in your position/as a student leader?
“LeaderSHOP was most valuable in that it facilitated a time early on in the
year for not only respective boards to interact and bond as a team, but also for
the introduction of the separate team to each other, thus creating a feeling on
unification over the entire campus.”
“As a first-generation student returning to school later in life, I was already
well-versed in some of the subject matter. It was good for me to have a chance
to brush up/refresh my knowledge of Parli Pro.”
Program Successes
After receiving the initial evaluations from the Hall Councils and the NRHH Chapter
members, there was an overwhelming amount of positive feedback. The free-form responses
ranged from commenting on how the structure of the day was well planned, to enjoying the
variety of breakout sessions. The Google survey also revealed that both Hall Councils and
NRHH Chapter members felt that the information presented at LeaderSHOP was applicable
to their positions, and better prepared them to be successful as student leaders on campus.
When reviewing the evaluations, it was noted that the balance breakout session was a
session that was praised multiple times. Many of the evaluations noted that they were pleased
that this subject was discussed since many student leaders have a difficult time learning how
to practice self-care and balance with their commitments. It was mentioned that it would have
been beneficial to have the balance breakout session as a main session due to the importance
of self-care.
The Executive Boards crafted each of the sessions with little assistance from professional
staff. With the sessions being both created and taught by the RHA and NRHH Executive
Boards, the sessions were tailored to what the Executive Boards felt was important to pass on
from their time during Fall Training.
16. 15
How Was LeaderSHOP?
Program Improvements
One area that LeaderSHOP could improve on is reserving time for Hall Council members
and NRHH Chapter members to be able to ask questions in a Q&A type setting. Several
evaluations mentioned that it would have been helpful to know “secrets” of how the Executive
Boards dealt with specific situations, or knowledge that they had gained from their
experiences in their positions. Multiple evaluations also noted that it would have been
extremely beneficial to have everyone be able to attend all of the breakout sessions because
while they felt some of the information was more important than others, they realized that
going to each of the sessions would have been beneficial in the long-term.
Both the Hall Councils and NRHH Chapter Members revealed that they wished that there
was a designated time for both groups to be able to introduce themselves and socialize with
one another. While there was a group ice breaker at the beginning of the training and an
optional ice breaker during the lunch break, many wished that they had more opportunities to
be able to get to know the other student leaders in the room.
Uniqueness of program
Prior to LeaderSHOP, both the RHA Executive Board and the NRHH Executive Board join
the University and Housing Residence Life student staff in a two-week training called Fall
Training. It is from this training that the Executive Boards are able to put together curriculum
and narrow down what they consider to be the most important topics to share with Hall
Councils and NRHH Chapter members. While there is slight guidance from the NRHH and
RHA advisor, the flow of topics as well as the subject matter is entirely decided upon by the
Executive Boards. By having this style of program content, Hall Councils and NRHH Chapter
members and are introduced to topics that have greatly benefitted the Executive Boards in
their own development as a team, and further developing them into better leaders.
“I think that having some sort of time where the attendees can hear some more
personal opinions from returning members might be nice. Things that could be
discussed are challenges, time management tips, "secrets", etc. Just something to
kind of model a little way for attendees. I think this helps multiple people because
it also splashes in some reality and gives them some personal applications of
what they just learned in the lives of those who have been in a leadership posi-
tion. Sometimes it can be challenging if someone is expecting rainbows and uni-
corns and unexpectedly runs into a chimera. It might be nice to know that a chi-
mera is already down the road and how one might deal with it.”
- NRHH Chapter member
17. 16
Conference Presentation
In a standard programming session, the general feel of
LeaderSHOP can be recreated by providing the handouts and
toys that were available at the original training. In order to
present such a session at NACURH, handouts would be
provided for approximately 50-75 people and toys could be
provided to be used in pairs by session participants. At
NACURH, the session would be focused on how students can
effectively choose training session topics to best suit the needs
of their participants, and how to create an engaging group
dynamic that allows for the mingling of new student leaders.
In contrast, such a session at ACPA would focus on giving
professional staff ways to empower their RHA or NRHH
Executive Board to further their own development as student
leaders. By having them discuss what topics and information
benefitted them in their progressive development as leaders
on campus to date, professional staff can encourage their
Executive Boards to engage in thoughtful discussions on what
information is the most important and urgent, and how to
create an easy to understand curriculum for their attendees.
PRESENTATION
“The LeaderSHOP
sessions stuck with
me because of their
practical
application and
from how easily the
information learned
was to be integrated
into our
responsibilities.
Having a deeper
understanding of
Parli Pro and
putting that process
into practice will
help me
significantly in
chapter and
executive meetings.”
- NRHH Chapter
member
18. 17
LeaderSHOP Conference Presentation
Introduction of presenters (1 min)
Lex Wood, NRHH Associate Director of Marketing
Georgi Ryan, RHA Director
What is LeaderSHOP? (5 min)
LeaderSHOP is a student-led leadership training for Hall Councils and NRHH Chapter members to gain
valuable information on how to be successful student leaders as well as how their respective organizations
function and what their role in those organizations is.
Why LeaderSHOP? (9 min)
Because the training is entirely student-led, this gives the RHA and NRHH Executive Boards the ability to
showcase their recently learned and reviewed knowledge on such a topic. In addition to giving the Executive
Boards the ability to practice these skills, the training also prepares new Hall Council and NRHH Chapter
members for what to expect for the upcoming year as well as ways to be successful in their positions and beyond.
Planning Process (10 min)
The planning for LeaderSHOP began while the Executive Boards were in Fall Training starting in the beginning
of September and continued up until the training in October. The committee chairs, Lex Wood and Georgi Ryan,
delegated tasks to other Executive Board members, arranged the logistics of the training, and managed the
training while it was in session.
Curriculum Creation (5 min)
Session topics were decided on during Fall Training by the Executive Boards based on the information that they
found the most important to pass on to the Hall Councils and NRHH Chapter members, as well as what they had
found the most beneficial to date in their current positions. Topics were then delegated to members of the
Executive Boards based on their positions and individual strengths to develop a presentation and session
structure.
Evaluation (5 min)
Strengths: The wide variety of sessions was noted to be very beneficial to attendees and the flow made the
training seem shorter.
Barriers: An identified need for more mingling among Executive Boards and attendees as well as more relaxed
information about the inner working of RHA and NRHH from the Executive Boards to the attendees.
Identified Benefits (5 min)
All attendees realized how important having a day of specific leadership training was in order for them to be
successful in their positions. It was noted in multiple evaluations that learning how to balance commitments was
exceptionally important, and the strategies learned during the sessions were still being used after a term in their
positions as student leaders.
Period of question and answer (10 min)
“I would definitely say that communications skills are something that I have adapted the
most. We learned about trying different methods of communications in order to try to give
as much transparency to those around us, as well as being honest and giving feedback no
matter positive or negative in a hopes to continue improving the communication styles of
those around us. Even if one method flops, it is important to flop forward.”
- NRHH Chapter member
21. 20
Agenda
Constitutions (RHA, NRHH, and Hall Councils)
Budgets
Contact Sheets for all organizations
Important dates for upcoming academic year
Note Paper
Fliers for General Assembly
Fliers for OTMs
USuccess resource bookmark
RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN FOLDERS
