The School of Global Studies and Partnerships, the Center for Ethical Leadership, and the American Red Cross Missing Maps jointly offered a month-long virtual leadership development program titled #GlobalLeaders – Rise to the Challenge. Fifty-four international students from 16 countries benefited from the month-long leadership program this fall.

The purpose of the #GlobalLeaders Program is to provide a platform for developing leadership skills, offer support to international students on their learning journey, and promote opportunities for meaningful discussions beyond the classroom. The program was initially established in 2015 by the Office of China Programs to offer undergraduate Chinese international students leadership opportunities as part of the China Program initiatives. Over the past few years, this program has impacted over 160 Chinese students at Oklahoma State University. This year, for the first time, Dr. Vivian Wang, the Director of Global Partnerships, has initiated the program's expansion to all international students at OSU. Marcia Sun, a Graduate Assistant in SGSP, coordinated the program and facilitated Zoom sessions.

There are four major components in the program, and each segment was delivered and facilitated remotely via Zoom. These segments included three one-hour leadership seminars and cultural dialogues focused on social issues, along with an enrichment activity featuring a virtual tour and a volunteer activity with the American Red Cross. Interactive features such as breakout rooms, group discussions, icebreaker activities, interactive presentations, and cooperative learning with external platforms were purposefully designed and incorporated to enhance virtual engagement.

The month-long leadership program concluded successfully in late October. An overwhelming number of participants have expressed ongoing interest in exploring additional volunteering and service-learning opportunities through the American Red Cross and would look forward to being engaged in future leadership opportunities. Many attendees see this program as an excellent opportunity for personal growth. The impact of this leadership program extends beyond the campus and local communities. The authentic experience participants can obtain from the program transcends international boundaries. It capitalizes fully on the rich possibilities of global engagement. Ultimately, these programs will enhance global understanding and interconnectivity for everyone.

"Cultural competency is integral to effective leadership, and there is no better way to learn that than through interacting with leaders from different cultures. We are always grateful to partner with the China Programs office to create leadership development opportunities for both our international and domestic students. It is through partnerships like this that OSU can create multicultural leadership programs resulting in dynamic, globally-minded leaders,” said Josh Taylor, assistant director of the Center for Ethical Leadership.

A participant in the program and a graduate student in the department of Research, Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics, Paola Sainz Sujet said, "When I first read about the Global Leaders Program in the Graduate Memo, I thought it had interesting topics and a nice schedule, so I decided to apply. By the end of the program, I can tell you that it was so much more than just interesting topics! The whole experience taught me so much. It was informative, wonderfully organized, and fun! The facilitator from the leadership workshops, Sarah, was so generous in sharing her knowledge and expertise with us, and she did so in a way that made us feel we could be great leaders as well. Although this was an online experience, I can tell you that the program coordinator, Marcia, somehow managed to create an interactive environment and make sure we had a voice. Getting to know people from so many countries and learning how they feel about leadership was enlightening. Thanks to this program, I know that I am a better leader and a better version of myself that comes with learning.”