Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 12

DON O R I M PAC T

Leadership program
aims to coach 'whole
student athlete'
As a recruiter for the Grand Rapids
staffing agency Aerotek, former Laker
linebacker Charles Hill, '14, meets and
works with people who have varied
backgrounds in engineering, light
industrial work and maintenance.
In order to successfully recruit and
place people with West Michigan
companies, Hill said he spends a lot of
time with his clients, getting to know
their personalities, their leadership and
work styles. He enjoys his work and said
he is successful, in part, because he
knows the details of his own leadership
style and how best to approach and
work with others.
Hill is an alumnus of the Laker
Leadership Development Program
(LLDP). The program started five years
ago as a way to enhance the leadership
skills of student athletes. Capped at
about 20 participants per year, Laker
coaches nominate student athletes
for the program, and faculty members
nominate non-student athletes who are
business or sports management majors.
Keri Becker, athletic director, said
LLDP fits well with the mission of Laker
athletics. "We work hard for athletics
to play a part in fulfilling the mission of

the university, by educating student
athletes beyond the classrooms that
we call courts, fields, tracks and pools,"
she said. "We want to coach the whole
student athlete, and this program is an
extension of that philosophy."
She added that LLDP also aligns with
the passion of donors who support
the program because it helps to build
leaders who will graduate and be well
prepared for the workforce.
Hill was nominated for
LLDP prior to his senior
year when he was named
a captain of the football
team. He said learning his
leadership style (vocal,
influential) helped when
communicating with
teammates on the football
field, and peers in his
classes. He now applies the
same principles when he
communicates with
co-workers and clients
at Aerotek.
A summer retreat is the
program's highlight. For two
days in August, students who
attend LLDP listen and learn

from Laker coaches and community
leaders, and participate in leadership
assessments and team-building
sessions. Several events continue
throughout the year to engage the LLDP
cohort and program alumni.
"At the retreat, we took an assessment
of our leadership skills and got a lot of
feedback," he said. "That's something I
take with me nearly every day, knowing

photo by Amanda Pitts

12
Fall '16



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016

Campus News
Athletics
Focal Point
Arts
Donor Impact
Research
Off the Path
Using sunlight to save lives
The science of food
Laker Navy
Coloring: not just for kids anymore
Q&A Schaub, Klingensmith
Alumni News
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 1
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 2
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 3
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Campus News
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 5
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 6
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 7
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Athletics
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 9
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Focal Point
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Arts
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Donor Impact
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 13
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Research
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 15
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 16
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 17
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Off the Path
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 19
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Using sunlight to save lives
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 21
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 22
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 23
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - The science of food
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 25
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 26
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 27
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Laker Navy
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 29
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 30
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 31
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Coloring: not just for kids anymore
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 33
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Q&A Schaub, Klingensmith
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 35
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - Alumni News
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 37
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 38
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 39
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 40
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 41
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 42
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 43
Grand Valley Magazine Fall 2016 - 44
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