The Intercultural Leadership Seminar (ILS) is designed for international and U.S. students who want to learn how to be more effective in a global environment. ILS includes brief lectures, discussion, experiential activities, and small group work. While at ILS you will:
- Increase your awareness of the impact of culture on communication styles;
- Gain skills necessary for effective intercultural communication;
- Discover your own leadership potential; and
- Develop and enhance your intercultural competence.
ILS is part of the M-LEAD collaborative of leadership programs for students, and it is connected to M-Lead's Collective Impact Framework and competencies. Participating in ILS will help you to gain skills and knowledge of the following competencies: Adaptability, Authenticity, Building Relationships, Empathy, Feedback, Meaning-Making, Resilience, Self-Awareness, Vision.
Date and Time
You can attend as many sessions as you are interested in. Each session has a specific and different area of focus.
| Session | Area of Focus | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Intercultural competence | Friday, October 1 | 3pm - 4:30pm |
| II | Intercultural communication | Friday, November 5 | |
| III | Intercultural leadership | Friday, December 3 |
Expectations
- Arrive on time and stay for duration of each session
- Actively engage with materials and other participants
- Respect other attendees viewpoints and experiences
Certificate of Completion
We will issue a Certificate of Completion if all of the following criteria has met:
- Attended all three sessions (must be done in one semester)
- Stay for the entire duration of each session
- Write a short essay explaining what you have learned from ILS and how you will use this in the future (500 words or less).
Applications
ILS is open to students at all academic levels. However, it is only available for students who are currently enrolled at the U-M Ann Arbor campus. Due to limited capacity, priority is also given to students who have not participated in the past.
To participate, please complete the application by September 22 at 5pm. Students will be notified of their acceptance on a rolling basis, but latest notifications will be received by September 24.
Questions? Contact the International Center at icenter@umich.edu
Additional Quotes from the Former Participants:
"I really enjoyed interacting with other participants... It is rare to be in environment where people are open so quickly…I realized how often I stay in my comfort zone and how I must miss so many opportunities to interact with people and grow."
"I've been thinking a lot about my vision for life but was struggling to generate a statement and this was spot on. Thanks for this!"
"It provides us with an opportunity for introspection and actually works on aspects of our personality that we expect from others. The tips provided for the critical moment dialogue are very helpful and i personally believe that i could use them in several situations to great effect."
"I think this was obviously a very thoughtful seminar. Despite my familiarity and experience with the subject I still felt like it was valuable and provides me concentrated time to reflect within a useful framework. Thank you for your time offering this opportunity!"