Lenoir-Rhyne’s Broyhill Leaders engage in community outreach

Lenoir-Rhyne University Broyhill Leaders

HICKORY, N.C. – Students in Lenoir-Rhyne’s Broyhill Institute for Leadership are passing along their leadership skills to students at Grandview Middle School through a train-the-trainer service program.

The program began last November when 10 eighth grade students from Grandview were invited to attend a leadership training course at LR, led by Broyhill Leaders. Those ten students then acted as lead trainers during the spring semester when they joined Broyhill Leaders to train 20 more Grandview students.

“Community outreach is an integral part of LR’s Broyhill Institute for Leadership,” said Craig Schreiber, program coordinator of management and co-director of the Broyhill Institute for Leadership. “Broyhill Leaders are expected to use their leadership skills responsibly and ethically in order to make a positive difference in the world.”

The positive impact LR students made at Grandview through their leadership training services inspired Grandview students to start their own leadership club, the Broyhill Kids. During the spring semester, the Broyhill Kids worked to provide leadership training to additional eighth grade students, acted as school ambassadors during fifth grade orientation, gave a presentation to seventh grade students on the Broyhill Kids program, and conducted two school clean-up projects.

“Through this leadership development program, Grandview students have been empowered to make a positive change in our school culture and use their skills to build the leadership skills of others,” said Jennifer Griffin, principal at Grandview Middle. “The unique partnership with LR and the Broyhill Leaders is a model that could serve to inform others of ways to connect educational institutions and capitalize on the strength of our youth.”

Jenny Fisher, president of the Broyhill Leaders commented on her satisfaction with the Broyhill Kids program saying, “I could not be prouder of the work the Broyhill Kids are doing. Not only are they stepping outside of their comfort zones to help their school community grow, they are doing so with tremendous self-motivation and empathy. I hope that the Broyhill Leaders at LR will continue to work with, advise, and especially learn from these inspirational students at Grandview.”

The Broyhill Institute for Leadership has a mission to develop and foster the skills necessary for students to become effective leaders in business and professional communities with the ability to adapt to future innovations.

About Lenoir-Rhyne University:

Founded in 1891, Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private liberal arts institution with 53 undergraduate degree programs and over 30 graduate degree programs. LR enrolls more than 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students and has had nine consecutive years of enrollment growth. LR’s main campus is located in Hickory, North Carolina, where both undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered. The University also offers graduate degree programs on its campuses in Asheville, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina. The Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary is also located in Columbia. LR is affiliated with the NC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and welcomes students from all religious backgrounds. The website is www.lr.edu.