Social Change, Leadership, and

Service in Action: A Residential Model Marci Walton

Loyola Marymount University

Purpose of Today’s Session Introduction and overview of the McCarthy

Experience in Service and Action (MESA) theme community at Loyola Marymount University

Overview and analysis of MESA’s development and integration of leadership workshop series

Practical application of MESA’s success and how to avoid our pitfalls on your own campus

Methods to integrate service into leadership or leadership into service

Loyola Marymount Campus Climate Located on the West side of Los Angeles, one mile from

LAX and the Pacific Ocean Catholic institution, founded in the Jesuit and

Marymount traditions Mission statement

Encouragement of learning Education of the whole person Service of faith and promotion of justice

5,400 students, plus graduate students and a satellite law school campus

3,200 students live within our residential communities

Leadership Climate Leadership Institute founded in 2007 and subscribe to

the Social Change Model of Leadership Development Three-prong approach to leadership development

One-unit leadership classes (Individual, Group and Community) Leadership workshop series and speakers on campus Capstone experience

Students who complete the Institute receive a Leadership Citation on their University transcript

Service Climate University tradition of service, grounded in Jesuit theology Eight service organizations on campus

All-male, all-female and co-ed Sole purpose is service, reflection and community Application and interview selection process

More difficult to get into a service organization than Greek organization Service is integrated into nearly everything on campus

Divisional of Student Affairs day of service Service during student leader training First-year and sophomore days of service Nationally recognized Alternative Spring Break Program

Partner closely with neighborhood agencies through our Center for Service and Action

MESA Original Development Founded in 2005 as a theme community of 12 sophomore women Lived in McCarthy Hall in three, four-person suites on the same

wing of a floor Mission Statement: To educate and form men and women for others

through a living and learning environment. Through direct personal contact with the marginalized of our local and global community, resident students will lead efforts to create a more faith-filled and just society by serving others.

Direct partnership between the Student Housing Office and the Center for Service and Action (CSA)

Funding of $1,000 for programmatic purposes Leadership through the Resident Director of McCarthy Hall, the

Assistant Director for Student Organizations through CSA and a specially selected Resident Advisor

MESA Framework & Requirements Members are selected through an application and essay All live on the same wing in McCarthy Hall Program requirements

Individual, off-campus service (3-5 hours per week) Each suite of four residents takes the lead for one month

One group service project per month One group reflection meeting per month Community bulletin board to educate other residents on the social

justice theme One leadership workshop per month Individual meetings with program directors (once per semester) Spring and Fall Orientation Recruitment events

MESA Monthly Themes In order to give more structure, each month is given a social

justice theme Group service experience and subsequent reflection are

based on this theme September: Environment | Ballona Wetlands October: Aging and the Elderly | Marycrest Manor November: World Hunger | Hunger Banquet January: Homelessness | Midnight Mission on Skid Row February: Immigration | Guadalupe Homeless Project March: Education | Children’s Institute of Los Angeles April: Serving in Community | All Service Org. Day of Service

Leadership Integration Theme Communities at LMU do not have an academic

component, but there was room for growth with MESA Direct ties can be found between service and leadership During the 2008-2009 academic year a leadership workshop

series was developed and implemented. Potential for growth and development of MESA students was

extraordinary and the students were excited! Workshop series based on the Social Change Model of

Leadership Development

How Does it Work? Introduction to the Social Change Model during Fall Orientation One, one-hour workshop per month that directly ties to the Social

Change Model Fall semester we focus on Individual Values

Consciousness of Self Congruence Commitment

Spring semester we focus on Group and Community Values Collaboration Common Purpose Controversy with Civility Citizenship

Social Change Model of Leadership Development

IndividualConsciousness of Self

Congruence

Commitment

GroupCollaboration

Common Purpose

Controversy with

Civility

CommunityCitizenship

CHANGE

Social Change Model of Leadership Development Work began on this model in 1994 at the Higher

Education Research Institute (UCLA) The model attempts to integrate already

established leadership development concepts Provides for leaders who may not hold traditional

roles of leadership, but rather want to make positive change within their spheres of influence

A key concept of this model is that leadership as a process.

Assumptions Made by the Model Leadership is socially responsible, it impacts change on

behalf of others. Leadership is collaborative. Leadership is a process, not a position. Leadership is inclusive and accessible to all people. Leadership is values-based. Community involvement/service is a powerful vehicle for

leadership.

(Astin 1996; Bonous-Hammarth, 2001: HERI, 1996)

Workshop Series Development Needed to be fun, engaging and practical Reflection was a key portion of the experience Activities had to be new and fresh because students

were initially skeptical

Workshop Series Examples Consciousness of Self

Values Star Power Congruence

Values Walk Commitment

Developing Mission Statements Collaboration

Spaghetti and Gumdrops Common Purpose

Group Drawing with a Catch Controversy with Civility

Whom Would You Choose? Citizenship

MESA Alumni “Inside the Service Studio”

Workshop Series Feedback from Students “The workshops are a chance to ask yourself questions, and develop

skills that you aren’t learning in classes or other organizations.” “When you learn about what you value it creates an interesting

chance to push yourself.” “I love being able to think and question yourself and others. The

workshops really help spark conversations.” “I never thought I could be a leader because I was never ‘in charge,’

but the workshops helped me realize that everyone has a role with leadership.”

“It really helped me think about why I’m doing service and how that relates to my own leadership.”

Workshop Series “Growing Pains” Resources: Time, Money and Human Developing and adapting to more than double

the class size from one year to the next Institutional support Creating buy-in from a few students on the fringe

Current State of MESA Grown from 12 women to 28 participants (16 women and 10 men) First year of involvement we had several open spaces and now we

have a 17-person wait list Increased our programming budget from $1,000 to $1,500 per year Developing relationship with the Center for Service and Action

House as a feeder program Added a support MESA RA Countless MESA members become members of service

organizations, several on executive boards or as President Several MESA members have gone on to devote a year to post-grad

service or to work for non-profit organizations Grown a true MESA identity and sense of pride

Questions or Follow-Up?

Marci Walton Loyola Marymount University marci.walton@lmu.edu Sign up to be e-mailed the presentation

slides or sample lesson plans!