College is a time in students’ lives full of learning, growing, trying new things and meeting new people. Receiving an education is the main reason for attending college, but there are countless clubs, groups, teams, organizations and activities to explore during your time on campus as well. Some of those opportunities also offer chances for students to take on leadership roles and gain hands-on experience being in charge.
Leadership opportunities help students grow and gain new skills, but they also look good on resumes when searching for a job after college. Here are some of the best leadership opportunities for college students:
Run for student government or other leadership positions. Whether you run for student body president or another office, being involved in your school’s student government will teach you how to work with others, solve problems and gain leadership skills while making a difference on your campus. You can also run for a leadership position in a Greek organization, club or sports team you are a part of.
Be an RA. Being a resident advisor, also known as a resident assistant, gives you the opportunity to build leadership skills by handling conflicts, working on a team, acting as a resource for residents, building community and helping other students.
Get involved with the student newspaper. Working for the student newspaper is a great way to build leadership skills as you collaborate with other students.
Volunteering. You don’t necessarily need to do something on your campus to gain leadership skills. Consider volunteering with local organizations to make a difference in your community.
Work with a professor on a project. Another leadership opportunity available to college students is to work with a professor on a project. This includes research projects, studies and experiments where you can develop leadership skills while working toward a meaningful goal.
Sign up to be an orientation leader. Being an orientation leader for new students allows you to help students get acclimated to your school and helps you develop leadership skills like confidence, presenting, answering questions and helping out however you can.
Internships. One of the most common ways for college students to gain leadership experience is by taking part in internships. You can intern for many different types of organizations and gain hands-on experience working in the real world.
Start or join a club. If you want to gain leadership skills in a different way, consider starting or joining a club such as Circle K International to help people in your community.
Circle K International (CKI) is the world’s largest student-led collegiate service organization, with thousands of members on hundreds of campuses on five continents. CKI members build leadership skills through their service and act as positive role models for children in their communities. Find a club near you or learn how to start one if CKI doesn’t already exist at your school.