Located on the second Floor of the A. K. Hinds University Center, Room 203, the Leadership Center is the home of the WE LEAD programs, Co-curricular Transcript, Leadership Certificate Program, and the annual WCU Leadership Day of Dialogue. The Center and its staff support the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Circle at WCU. In addition, we are a member of the National Clearinghouse for Leadership and a WCU campus member of the national American Democracy Project. The Center also is the home of the Leadership Library from which students, faculty, or staff may borrow books for up to two weeks as well as files of articles concerning leadership, ethics, and civic engagement.

The Center is designed around three main premises: the Social Change Model for Leadership Development;the realization of the greater impact upon the quality of life by an informed and engaged citizenship; and the need for ethical decision making in leadership.

Research on successful leaders and leadership tells us that effective leadership emphasizes collective action and shared power rather than 'command and control.' This requires a passionate commitment on the part of the 'leader' to the idea of social justice. Effective leaders are described as being self-aware, trusting of others, doing their homework, and listening to and empowering others. Based in part on insights provided by a national study, the Social Change Model for Leadership is designed to emphasize clarification of  personal an group values, the development of self-awareness, trust, the capacity to listen and serve others, and through collaborative work, to create change for the common good. Within this framing we also believe that leadership is a process and relational not based solely on position. As such all people have the capacity to lead and are a part of the leadership process taking leadership roles at different times for different reasons.

The Center defines civic engagement as an active collaboration between (1) an individual and any of the multiple communities and levels of community to which they belong to, to promote social change and the general welfare of all and (2) the university and outside community at any level to develop, exchange, and apply knowledge, information, and expertise in ways that are mutually beneficial and consistent with the university’s mission of  (a) providing excellent teaching, challenging academic programs, co-curricular and extra curricular experiences and (b) promoting values for career preparation, leadership, responsible citizenship, and life long learning.

For students this work is embedded in curricular and co-curricular learning and research as well as their extracurricular experiences and is focused on community building and community-based problem solving.

For faculty, this work is centered in collaboration with the local, regional, national, and international community and realized in teaching, research, and /or service.

For Student Affairs professionals, this work is centered on developing students’ civic values, civic skills, personal and group leadership knowledge and skills, civic efficacy, and civic commitment.