Editor's Note: This is the second in a series examining each of the four pillars of the Cameron Institute.
Feb. 5: Career Development
Today: Leadership & Personal Development



There is an assortment of leadership organizations that student-athletes can join. But want to know who the real leaders are among the student-athlete population?

All of them.

The Cameron Institute believes that all student-athletes are leaders. It's incorporated into The California Way – the framework and guide for the Cameron Institute's programs and services.

And it's one of the four pillars that make up the foundation of the Cameron Institute – Leadership & Personal Development.

"Our philosophical approach in the Cameron Institute is that every student-athlete can demonstrate leadership potential in every stage of their four-year career," Cameron Institute Director Dr. Marissa Nichols said. "It's an idea that leadership is not set aside for a certain population. There are skills and traits that are developed from the day they arrive on campus."

Indeed, one of the services offered within the Leadership & Personal Development pillar of the Cameron Institute is UGBA 199 – a first-year transition seminar for incoming student-athletes. Working with Dr. Kasra Sotudeh and Tarik Glenn of Cal's Athletic Study Center, Cameron Institute Director of Leadership & Personal Development Dr. Sean Hendricks revamped the curriculum to ensure student-athletes maximize their personal development throughout their time in Berkeley and beyond, and capitalize on all of the services and programming the institute provides.

"We wanted to ensure there is a foundational Cameron Institute component, and The California Way outcomes are embedded in this class to help launch those steps," Nichols said.

There were five sections of the class offered in the fall, and 126 students attended. The Cameron Institute's goal is to have 100 percent of incoming student-athletes take the class each year.

Hendricks also took the lead on developing the curriculum for the Cameron Institute Leadership Series – a six-session program built around The California Way's directive that the Cal student-athlete "will become an authentic leader who is purposeful and lives their core values." Sessions include Establishing Your Purpose, Core Values, Authentic Leadership, Self-Awareness, Growth Mindset and Leadership, and Activating Your Purpose and Authentic Leadership. The first three sessions were offered in the fall and the final three are available this spring.

"The leadership piece is getting them to think how they are inspiring and motivating others, and coming with that people-first mindset," Hendricks said. "Getting them to focus on others is really the key there. We talk a lot about leadership and what that means. Everyone can be a leader, and everyone at some point in their life is going to be in a leadership position. We are really trying to help build their leadership toolbox."

The vision is to deliver a Leadership Academy that provides myriad opportunities and services for all student-athletes and coaches. The planning for the Leadership Academy is underway, and one of the components that will launch this spring is a Leadership Showcase - an event to highlight student-athletes' leadership styles to a larger audience of Cal staff, coaches, and students.

"The leadership series is open to everyone, so it's not like I'm only working with just underclassmen or first-year students," Hendricks said. "I get the students who are in their first semester at Cal and I get the students in their tenth semester at Cal. They are definitely at different points in their life, but a big focal point of the sessions is to get them really reflecting on their own personal leadership and different experiences that they've had."

Hendricks has also met with Cal coaching staffs to determine what they already have in place to forge leadership, and how he can help. He also offers one-on-one sessions with coaches and student-athletes.

"One of the things that I really appreciate from our coaches is their willingness to collaborate with the Cameron Institute and provide feedback that guides our work." Hendricks said.