In fall of 1997, I signed up for the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Studies course offered at Trident Technical College. I knew from hearing from others that the class would help me to develop my leadership skills. I had already served as secretary of my Phi Theta Kappa chapter and felt that I had skills, I just needed to define them and learn a little more about myself.

During the time of the class, I was elected chapter vice president, and realized that I would definitely need to learn all that I could. I learned many organizational and interpersonal skills that are inherent to any leadership class. In addition to these much-needed lessons, I learned about myself.

Knowing who we are and how we react in different situations is not something we examine in our everyday activities. In this classroom situation, we had the opportunity to analyze what (and why) we did what we did. The challenges presented each day were for the purpose of showing the many different people and situations that we come across in everyday living. From managing your time more effectively to learning about conflict management, these skills are important for everyone.

The class exercises ranged from studying great leaders to hands-on activities. One of the most inspiring parts of the class for me was a study of Martin Luther King, Jr. In the unit on "Articulating a Vision," we learned how his famous "I Have a Dream" speech skillfully articulated his own vision as an activist and leader for the Civil Rights Movement and inspired others to share his vision.

The Lego Man is an exercise on teamwork and planning in which the class is divided into teams. Teams are competing with each other in assembling an exact replica of a model Lego Man provided by the instructor. Observers take note of how each team worked together and what role each team member played in reaching the goal. Although at first it may seem like you are simply playing with Legos, the end result is very surprising.

Throughout my travels as an International Officer, I have had numerous opportunities to put my leadership lessons into practice - whether I'm giving a formal speech to a large assembly or answering questions one-on-one. The leadership course was so much more than just 3 credit hours; it was a life-long lesson. It was an experience that I would never trade for anything because of the impact it made not only on my life, but also the lives of those around me.

I would highly recommend the class to all students, not just Phi Theta Kappans. I have never spoken to one person who has taken the class who did not walk away with something that changed their life.

So if you are looking to hone your leadership skills and aren't afraid of learning about yourself, this is the class for you. It has to be one of the most important classes you will ever take in your life!

Contact Kim Pratt at kprattsvp@aol.com