In spite of many changes for fall 2020, the Staley School of Leadership Studies student programs team has been exceptionally busy this fall.
Of course, flexibility is the name of game. And our student coordinators have been playing the game exceptionally well. Typically, each student coordinator oversees one program while they collaborate and assist with other programs throughout the year. This fall, our approach has shifted: We have multiple student coordinators working with our Snyder Leadership Legacy Fellows program, all hands on deck at mobile food distributions, and the whole team has been developing new ideas for future programming.
Lily Colburn has been a student program coordinator for International Services Teams for the past year. She is also a student in the nonprofit leadership certificate, the leadership studies minor, and is a class leader for LEAD 212: Introduction to Leadership Concepts. Her extensive experience with the Staley School enables her to see all the student programs at face value and understand how the change impacts the participants and the programs. 
“Our programs have defined my undergraduate experience at K-State, and I became a student coordinator to help other students have the same opportunities,” said Colburn. “Even though I was nervous for how this year would work, I love the ways we’ve been able to practice adaptability to rethink our approach to student and partner engagement.”
Since September, Snyder Fellows have had eight virtual sessions together focused on building community; learning and applying Coach Snyder’s 16 goals for success; and pursuing their own leadership goals for the year ahead. The Fellows has been dedicated even though the experience looks differently. They have been committed to their own growth and development. After all, leadership starts with self and must also engage others.
Our HandsOn K-State team has hosted two mobile food distributions, serving more than 1,900 members of our K-State and Manhattan communities. We continue to explore new ways of partnering across campus, engaging new volunteers, and educating others about food security in our Manhattan community. HandsOn is gearing up for the November distribution, and looking at ways to assist other distributions in the area as their volunteer needs change.
Academic Mentoring is suspended for the year, but we have been working with the K-State College of Education to launch the Wildcat Community Tutoring and Educational Enrichment Initiative. This program is designed to support children and families in the Manhattan community by providing virtual tutoring from K-State students. We believe this is an excellent way to support local youth and are excited to provide this opportunity to Staley School and K-State students across campus.
While the Staley School is not preparing for Alternative Breaks this spring or International Service Teams this summer, we’ve stayed connected to our partners and have enjoyed hearing what is new with many of our hosts. The loss of travel doesn’t go unnoticed, but the Staley School is maintaining the relationships with our partners and is hopeful that travel can be done safely in the future to enable these domestic and global learning opportunities. 
“To truly practice leadership during this time means to start where people are,” said Kaitlin Long, administrator for student programs. “What we’re seeing now more than ever is that K-State students are committed to serving our community and getting involved. It’s a privilege to continue facilitating meaningful experiences for our students and community.”
To learn more about the Staley School’s student programs and updates, visit our website or email Kaitlin Long at kaitlinl@ksu.edu.
