Mount Holyoke College

Take the Lead! SummerAction
South Hadley, Massachusetts


		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info See Photos

For More Information, Contact
Rosita Nunez, Associate Director, Take the Lead
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075-1441
413-538-3500
Fax: 413-538-2691
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/summeraction

Type of Program: Leadership development
Participants: Young women, 9-11 grade
Enrollment: 80
Program Dates: June 29 to July 12, 2008
Heads of Program: Susan Pliner, Ed.D., and Laurie Boucher, M.A.

Location

Take the Lead! SummerAction is held on the campus of Mount Holyoke College in western Massachusetts. Mount Holyoke is among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges and is consistently named one of the most beautiful college campuses in the nation by Princeton Review.

Background and Philosophy

Mount Holyoke College has a proud tradition of cultivating powerful women leaders. Under the guidance of the Weissman Center for Leadership and the Liberal Arts, which is known for its innovative and effective work, the Take the Lead program has been developing leadership skills in young women for nearly a decade. Action projects by Take the Lead participants have generated national publicity in such magazines as CosmoGIRL!, Seventeen, ym, and Teen People. Take the Lead, a four-day fall program, is designed for 40 young women nominated by their high schools. Due to this program’s extraordinary success, Take the Lead has been expanded to offer a two-week Take the Lead! SummerAction program for 80 young women. This new expanded program does not include a nomination process, and any qualified student is welcome to apply.
Take the Lead is designed for idealistic, energetic young women who want to make a difference in the world. The program engages participants in fun, highly interactive workshops and activities that build leadership skills. It gives student leaders the chance to join a network of young action-oriented advocates who are passionate about important issues such as cleaning up a river, making arts come alive, involving youth in the political process, addressing homophobia in high schools, promoting animal rights, and combating racism and sexism. Each participant learns about the critical elements needed to turn ideas into action and engages in a real community project to develop her skills. Take the Lead is about building each student’s capabilities to return home and implement a vision and plan for addressing an issue of importance in her school, in her community, and in the world.

Program Offerings

Turning ideas into an action project. Before arriving for Take the Lead, each student identifies an issue that she cares about. During the program, with the help of faculty members, a mentor, and peers, the student plans an action project to address the issue that she can implement back home.
Participating in a team-based community project. During the program, each student joins a team of committed peers for hands-on participation in a local community project of particular interest to her. This hands-on experience is a laboratory for putting new skills and knowledge into action.
During the two weeks, students attend workshops on public speaking, mentoring, publicity strategies, community organizing, leadership styles, and fund-raising. In addition, students participate in a daylong session with ACT NOW!, a highly regarded youth development program that empowers girls through improvisational moviemaking. Students also attend a video presentation by Hollywood producer (The Princess Diaries, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and Mount Holyoke alumna Debra Martin Chase ’77. There is also a workshop on applying to colleges and an opportunity to hear about the Five College Consortium and tour Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and Amherst Colleges.

Enrollment

The student body of around 80 participants is geographically and culturally diverse. Students are selected based on their potential for leadership and making a difference as demonstrated by their academic, extracurricular, or community involvement as well as their insight and motivation to take action on an issue.

Daily Schedule

7:30
8:30
9:00
10:00
10:15
11:45
1:45
2:45
3:00
4:00
5:30
7:30
8:30

10:00
11:00

Breakfast
Announcements and workshop assignments
Workshop
Break/snack
Workshop
Lunch
Yoga
Break/snack
Work on presentation with peers and mentor
Complete presentation
Dinner, free time
Change Agent Experience
Optional: West African dance workshop, origami
workshop,
Optional: Visit the Thirsty Mind coffee shop
Room check-in

Extra Opportunities and Activities

Students live in a Mount Holyoke residence hall, and the program is designed to give them a taste of college life. All meals are served at the newly renovated campus center overlooking Lower Lake. Each day there are recreational choices, including swimming, yoga, tennis, team sports, weight training, and dance. Other activities might include a talent show, a celebration banquet, jewelry making, and a scavenger hunt. On the weekend there are day trips to New England sites such as the Emily Dickinson House, the Berkshires, and the Connecticut beaches.

Facilities

Students have full access to the library, art museum, hiking trails, and athletic facilities on the 800-acre campus of Mount Holyoke. Classes take place on the campus. There is a visit to the Mount Holyoke Equestrian Center, which is home to one of the best collegiate riding programs in the nation. Community projects take place at local organizations and are fully supervised by the Take the Lead faculty and staff.

Staff

Take the Lead faculty and staff members are drawn from the Mount Holyoke College community, including Take the Lead alumnae. Classes are taught by faculty members from Mount Holyoke’s Weissman Center for Leadership and the liberal arts and other academic departments.

Medical Care

An on-site nurse provides 24-hour coverage.

Costs

The fee for the Take the Lead program is $2950. The fee includes room, board, all program materials, event tickets, and local transportation.

Financial Aid

A limited number of need-based scholarships are available.

Transportation

Mount Holyoke is located 45 minutes from Bradley International Airport (Hartford/Springfield) and 30 minutes from the Springfield Amtrak station. The Take the Lead transportation coordinator advises families on the easiest ways to reach the campus. Transportation can be arranged from Bradley Airport and local train and bus stations to the campus.

Application Timetable

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and prospective students are encouraged to apply early. Students must submit the following: the application form; a personal statement describing the student’s reasons for applying to the Take the Lead program; a letter of recommendation from a teacher, guidance counselor, or religious or community leader; and a high school transcript. The final deadline for applications is May 1. Notification of acceptance is made within three weeks of receipt of the completed application. A $250 nonrefundable deposit is required upon acceptance. Application and recommendation forms are available online at http://www.mtholyoke.edu/summeraction or by calling 413-538-3500.