Martha T. Nesbitt Leadership Program

Nesbitt Leaders will be expected to uphold the following commitments in order to maintain good standing and receive their full scholarship. Students who fail to do so will be asked to leave the program, and their scholarship will be revoked.

All meetings take place from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. on Fridays unless specified otherwise.

• Attend NLP Orientation.
• Attend all NLP program meetings and special events.

Fall Semester

• Orientation: August 25, 2023
• Meeting 1: September 8, 2023
• Meeting 2: October 6, 2023
• Meeting 3: October 27, 2023
• Pine Valley Retreat: November 3, 2023
  • 11:00 pm – 3:00 pm.
• End of Semester Meeting: December 1, 2023

Spring Semester

• Meeting 4: January 19, 2024
• Meeting 5: February 16, 2024
• Meeting 6: March 22, 2024
• Special Activity: April 12, 2024
• End of Year Celebration: April 26th, 2024

As an individual, participate in reflection and develop a personal leadership commitment that will be shared at the End of Year Celebration that happens at the end of each school year.

Students who are selected for the program will receive a $1500 scholarship, in addition to any other scholarships they have been awarded, including the Hope Scholarship.

Funds will be awarded in two, $750 increments at the beginning of fall and spring semesters. Spring allocation will be contingent upon if fall program expectations are met.

Note: Increased allocation of scholarship funds is dependent upon the number of scholarship participants for the academic semester.

Scholarship Eligibility:

• Students must be New First-Year admits or Freshman Transfer admits with total earned credits of less than 30 hours beginning in the fall 2020 semester.
• Students must be Associate Degree and cannot be Dual Enrolled Status.
• Students must have had a high school GPA of 3.2 or higher.
• Students can be enrolled on either the Gainesville or Oconee campuses admitting Associate Degree Seeking Students.
• Students must demonstrate leadership potential through their previous student involvement.

Leadership scholars must maintain at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA and meet all of the expectations listed. If a student’s GPA drops below 3.2 or if the other expectations are not met, they will meet with a member of the program’s advisors to determine the course of action, which could include dismissal from the program.

• Articulate their personal core values. (Consciousness of Self)
• Discuss their personal leadership style. (Consciousness of Self)
• Examine their own and others' intrinsic and extrinsic motivations as leaders. (Congruence)
• Identify their own personal identities and how their identities shape their leadership and followership. (Consciousness of Self)
• Integrate their lived experiences into their leadership development process. (Commitment)

Year Two of the NLP is an extension of the first year of the program that centers group values. The second year of the program allows first year program participants to continue to engage with the program and continue to develop the skills and knowledge learned in Year One to make a positive impact. Year Two is community-based and designed to develop and enhance leadership skills, particularly around the Social Change Model and social/community values, with a strong focus on mentorship, collaboration, common purpose, and controversy with civility. The program seeks to create a culture of mentorship that fosters personal growth, development, and community service among participants. 

Goals

• To provide a platform for second-year participants of the Martha T. Nesbit Leadership Program to develop their leadership skills through providing mentorship.
• To allow NLP students to step into a position of leadership and promote positive social values of collaboration, common purpose, and controversy with civility through a more hands on experience.
• To foster a culture of personal growth and development through community engagement

Program Requirements

• Mentorship: Each second-year participant will be paired with one to two first-year participant in the Martha T. Nesbit Leadership Program to serve as a mentor. The mentor will provide guidance, support, and feedback to the mentee throughout the program.
• Community Service and Collaborative Learning: Participants will engage in a yearlong service learning project that considers, identifies community needs, and promotes community collaboration.
• Program Support: Provide support for the NLP program included but not limited to event interviewing year 1 program participants, program planning
• Reflection and Feedback: Participants will engage in regular reflection and feedback sessions to assess their personal growth and development, identify areas for improvement, and provide feedback to their mentors and program facilitators.

Scholarship

• Students who are selected for the program will receive a $2000 scholarship, in addition to any other scholarships they have been awarded, including the Hope Scholarship.
• Funds will be awarded in two, $1000 increments at the beginning of fall and spring semesters. Spring allocation will be contingent upon if fall program expectations are met.

Note: Increased allocation of scholarship funds is dependent upon the number of scholarship participants for the academic semester.

Scholarship Eligibility

• Students must be a previous participant to the Martha T. Nesbitt Leadership first-year program.
• Students must be an associate degree or bachelor's degree seeking student and cannot be Dual Enrolled status.
• Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Students can be enrolled on either the Dahlonega, Gainesville, or Oconee campuses.