"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

—Aristotle

Journey to Excellence Summer Leadership Program Narrative

The summer leadership program is designed to prepare students for leadership roles and responsibilities with the aim of achieving individual and community excellence, both at Berea College and beyond.

Student goals:

• To be educated about various leadership styles
• To develop their own leadership style
• To learn how to work effectively in a team structure while retaining a high standard of personal integrity
• To become better practitioners of guided learning approaches and to realize its worth in both personal and community development

Berea College was founded by abolitionists in the 1860's who were inspired by the vision of a unique American institution. This same vision remains woven through the tapestry of the Eight Great Commitments that guide the College community life. In addition to the Commitments, Berea seeks to be and become and integrated and continuous learning institution where students, faculty and staff actively engage in intellectual growth and personal and community skill development.

The Journey to Excellence is a student-centered program focused on students discovering their potential and then collaborating with faculty and staff to create environments wherein they and others can do their best work. The program was first created in 1997 to prepare students for leadership roles and responsibilities in their campus labor position. The fundamental assertion of this program is that all people have the capacity to become better leaders through a process-oriented approach that is guided, mentored, collaborative, non-formulaic, and non-prescriptive.

If you build yourself, you will build your community, and your community will build the world.

—Jessica Gerassimides