The Office of Student Life is committed to the development of student leaders at College of DuPage. The Living Leadership Program is designed for students interested in building their leadership skills and confidence while actively participating in our vibrant campus community.
What is the Living Leadership Program?
The Living Leadership Program is a free non-transcript certificate program at College of DuPage focused on developing students into active leaders and positive change-makers. The program has three levels and is offered once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester.
- The Leadership Foundations certificate introduces you to leadership during six weekly sessions and focuses on leading yourself and others through skill-development workshops. Those who receive a certificate of completion may move on the the Advanced Leadership certificate.
- The Advanced Leadership certificate guides you through expanded leadership topics. Students complete two additional specialized workshops, a coaching conversation and an independent impact project.
- Those who receive an Advanced Leadership certificate are encouraged to enroll in the Leadership Development class (Humanities 2210, 3 credits) to earn the highest Living Leadership Program honor, the "Torchbearer" medallion.
Our philosophy is simple. We believe everyone has the potential to be a leader, and everyone can make a positive impact in their community. The program is guided by the Three Tenets of Leadership Philosophy that includes:
- Active Participation in Life and Communities
- Appreciation of multiple perspectives
- Engaging conscious decision-making
Using these three tenets to make a positive impact on your community is living leadership.
Through participating in the Living Leadership Program you will:
- Make a difference on campus, in the local community, and beyond
- Discover your top talents and learn how to develop them into strengths
- Develop a personal leadership philosophy and skills to be a successful leader
- Gather experiences to enrich your future applications and interviews
- Join like-minded students with an interest in leadership
The Living Leadership Program focuses on developing 6 core leadership competencies:
- Confidence
- Self-Understanding
- Decision Making
- Social Responsibility
- Other Perspectives
- Verbal Communication
To apply to join the Living Leadership Program you must:
- Be currently enrolled in at least one credit hour
- Be in good standing with the college (GPA minimum of 2.0)
- Complete an application with a reference
The program is offered twice a year. Space is limited, and you must complete the Leadership Foundations certificate prior to moving to the Advanced Leadership certificate. You may enroll in the Leadership Development course at any time.
After you apply, you will receive confirmation of your acceptance and resources to help you complete the program.
To complete the Leadership Foundations certificate you must:
- Participate in a club, organization, team, Peer Mentors, or Student Ambassadors group on campus
- Attend six leadership development experiences
- Complete all workshop reflection activities
To complete the Advanced Leadership certificate you must:
- Continue involvement in a campus group
- Attend an additional two leadership development workshops and reflection activities
- Complete a coaching conversation with a leadership mentor
- Complete an impact project that benefits the College community and/or beyond
- Give a brief presentation about your impact project and leadership journey
To complete the Capstone Project you must:
- Submit a Capstone Project (guide provided)
- Give a brief presentation about your program experience and leadership journey
To earn the Torchbearer medallion you must:
- Complete the Leadership Foundations certificate
- Complete the Advanced Leadership certificate
- Enroll and succcessfully complete the Leadership Development course, Humanities 2210 with a "C" or higher
All students who complete certificates and earn the Torchbearer medallion will be honored at the Annual Student Life Celebration and Awards Ceremony in the spring semester.
Program Activities and Schedule
To meet the needs and interests of students, the following leadership development opportunities. Students may choose which experiences they would like to do to meet program requirements.
Meeting Dates Fall 2025
Wednesdays, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- September 10, 17, 24
- October 1, 8, 15
Leadership Workshops
Leadership workshops take place in-person and explore a variety of leadership topics and encourage students to live their leadership every day.
- Exploring Leadership: The Three Tenets of Leadership Philosophy
- Values-based Leadership: This I Believe
- Ethical Leadership: Giving Voice to Values
- Introduction to Clifton Strengths: Leveraging your Strengths for Leadership
- Communication and Navigating Conflict
- Leading Teams
- Leadership Theory to Action: Leading for Change (Advanced)
- Leading Self: Personal Leadership Philosophies (Advanced)
Leadership Development Class Registration Information
- Leadership Development (Humanities 2210) is designed to help students understand the nature of leadership, develop their personal leadership philosophy and prepare them to become leaders at home, on campus, in their community, and in their professions.
- Successful completion of this class meets the Living Leadership Program "Torchbearer" medallion requirement and transfers as an elective course. Contact an academic advisor for additional transfer information.
- Interested in viewing the syllabus? Email Dr. Stephanie Quirk to request a copy or ask questions.
COD Stories
"Every time I think of the word ‘leadership,’ I view trust, boldness, compassion and creativity as fundamental elements." - Hisham Elseweifi
Hisham's COD StoryCOD Stories
"The Living Leadership Program retreat was probably the single most important moment for me. It was out of character because I believed I was too shy and could not do something like that. However, I realized I was capable of more than I thought." - Stephanie Torres
Stephanie's COD StoryCOD Stories
"I honestly had no idea how great a resource College of DuPage was going to be for me.” - Matt Brousil
Matt's COD StoryContact Information
Office of Student Life
Student Services Center (SSC), Room 1200
(630) 942-2243