This upcoming semester, students can choose to participate in a new emerging leadership program that will enable them to develop connections across campus.

The Peer Educator Leadership program consists of a two­-part course that will allow students to build their resume, along with maintaining healthy lifestyle choices.

Dr. Mary Ann Littleton, professor of the community and behavioral health department, will be teaching the course with the help of graduate student Alexis Decosimo.

“It’s a really good way for students who want to be leaders because we’re also, along with that, we’ll have people representing from all different facets at the university, coming to talk with students,” said Decosimo. “They’ll introduce themselves so it’s a really good way for making those connections.”

A few of these connections include the CPA and ETSU’s counseling center.

“The resources will give us readings they want the students to do,” Decosimo said.

The course is divided into two parts: The first will take place in the spring term in a classroom environment and the second will occur in the next fall semester outside of the classroom.

The spring semester is scheduled on Tuesdays from 4 to 6:50 p.m.

“What we’re really trying to do is have the students in the class create an actual organization from it so the class will be the structure,” Decosimo said. “We’ll be the support but in the fall that class and the students in it will be out there, being resources and representing themselves as peer educators.”

In the fall semester, the students will then have monthly or bi­monthly check-­ins to see the growth of the organization.

“Each year we’ll do the same thing and hopefully fill that organization, we’re really hoping to get at least 20 students this year to be the first leaders,” Decosimo said.

Although sophomores are preferred, the program is also open to freshmen and juniors.

“The class is also a way to create a community so they’ll get a understanding of how to create an organization, how to reach out to students so a lot of really interpersonal techniques that they will learn, as well as just becoming more and more settled on this campus,” Decosimo said.

Decosimo said she hopes this course will give students a way to maintain healthy and active lifestyle choices while learning how to be a resource on campus.

“It’s great on the resume and really shows especially people who want to be in a healthy profession or people who want to show they are leaders and are involved in their community,” she said.

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