The Civic Leadership Academy (CLA) addresses the need for promoting civic leadership in Lubbock and the surrounding region through a multi-disciplinary service-learning approach that allows participants to engage in self-discovery through leadership development, values assessment, and community development opportunities. Many college-aged students may not have prior exposure to civic duty beyond experiences with mandatory volunteer work through a school or church setting, which is a direct marker for Generation Z. They typically have no marker that has shaped their interest or knowledge in sustaining and building social capital and community development. Without this catalyst, there may be decreased interest or understanding of how individuals can impact community-wide service and change. The planned leadership development programming for the Academy is based on the Social Change Model of Leadership Development (Astin, 1996; Komives & Wagner, 2016) and seeks to encourage participants in a complete model of experiences and opportunities that highlights civic leadership on a societal and personal level.
Dr. Jason Headrick is the Director of the Civic Leadership Academy and is an assistant professor of leadership and community development at Texas Tech University in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications.
Shelby Shank is a graduate assistant at Texas Tech University in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications.
For information about partnering with the CLA, programming, events, or any other questions, please contact Dr. Jason Headrick at jason.headrick@ttu.edu.
Civic Leadership Academy 