The mission of FIU’s Center for Leadership and Service (CLS) is to provide students with developmental and experiential opportunities that foster leadership and community involvement, grounded in values and moral purpose. Through leadership education, service learning, advocacy, and volunteerism, students will become active global citizens on campus, in their respective communities, and in the workplace.
CLS has adapted the Student Leadership Competencies® into an 8 competency model that has begun to guide their programs beginning Spring 2015 to help students connect their out-of-classroom learning to career readiness. This model can be found on their website. They have also created a specific program called the Advanced Leadership Challenge that directly connects student- involvement in signature programs offered throughout the entire Division of Student Affairs to these 8 competencies. The Advanced Leadership Challenge provides a guide for developing within the 8 leadership competencies as well as a means for documenting the accomplishments. Students who successfully complete the Advanced Leadership Challenge earn a Leadership Medallion they can then wear at graduation.