Three weeks ago in King Hall Lisa McLeod held a meeting to discuss the formation of a relatively new program on campus. The Interdisciplinary Program in Leadership for Social Change is its name and its purpose is to equip its participants with the skills necessary to becoming activists in whatever field they choose to specialize.

Lisa McLeod, Carol Stoneburner, and Nancy Daukas co-direct the Interdisciplinary Program. Its birth was an idea that Stoneburner formed after years of considering ways to help students utilize their education at Guilford, particularly within the interdisciplinary programs already offered.

To participate, a student must choose an interdisciplinary major or concentration. The directors feel this will help participants to discover what it takes to become an expert in a subject and equip students with the ability to read and write about different social issues, essential skills to possess when working for social change. Students must also complete a disciplinary major, to gain depth of knowledge in a liberal arts field.

One of the program’s major goals is to help the students discover their niche in whatever field of activism they choose and explore available job opportunities. At the informational meeting held last week, McLeod said, “When I was in college I only knew about four jobs that people could have.” She is excited to be working to create a program that functions to inform the students of the many options that exist for them in the world.

The program is maintaining close contact with Guilford alumni who work in social change. Students in the program can contact these alums to learn about employment opportunities and helpful strategies used to make it in the “real world.” Trainers and activists come to campus to work with the students in helping them to strengthen the skills necessary for their field of concentration.

All students may sign up for the program and have access to all that it offers. Seniors in their spring semester enroll in the Senior Seminar where they focus on how to write about the skills they have learned at Guilford both in essay and resume form.

The program’s framework is not entirely solid. Lisa McLeod said, “Right now, we are trying to figure out whether we will have sufficient funding to really make this program work for Guilford students.” Currently it is receiving funding from the Lilly Initiative on Faith and Practice.

Many students expressed their confidence in the program after attending the meeting. Junior Katie Holmes said, “While many groups at Guilford focus on social activism, I feel that this group will give us a chance to make a longer commitment to social change through learning how to fit social change into our lives after college.”

Others left the informational session feeling as if the definition of the program possessed ambiguity. Junior Jeremy Osborne said, “I feel that it would be a great group for certain people. I just would like a clearer depiction of what the group is doing before I personally would get involved further.”

An interesting aspect of the program is PIE, the Personal Integrative Experience portion of the Senior Seminar in Social Change.

PIE gives each student the chance to gather together friends, advisors, and mentors to discuss the student’s development and possible paths to success in the future.

Those participating in the program select a leadership advisor among the college staff and internship directors whom they have worked with at Guilford. This advisor will be there to help guide the student’s personal and work-related growth.

At least once a year, Nancy Daukas and the selected leadership advisor meet with each student to discuss possible internships, co-curricular projects, and the student’s goals, both long and short-term.

The Interdisciplinary Program in Leadership for social change is the first of its kind at Guilford. Although just in the incipient stage, it is appreciated by those at Guilford who wish to become seriously involved in activism.