New residential program for 08-09

Rodin College House is leading the way with a residential program unlike any before.

The College House is collaborating with the Fox Leadership Program to create the Leadership Residential Program, which will begin in fall 2008 and will occupy an entire floor in Rodin.

Composed of 36 students - mostly upcoming sophomores and juniors - the program will allow students to participate in a number of Fox programs, as well as to create their own programs that will only be open to the residents.

The activities aim to promote knowledge and understanding of leadership, said Rodin House Dean Ken Grcich, and will include a book club, guest speakers, a retreat where students will assess their leadership skills and discussions of "case studies," in which students will be asked to evaluate how they would respond to specific scenarios.

The program will also enhance students' public speaking skills and abilities to accomplish tasks in a bureaucracy, said Fox associate director Chuck Brutsche.

Brutsche added that he and Grcich want students not only to learn new leadership skills in the program, but to assess "their leadership styles, their challenges, their abilities."

Future participant and Wharton freshman Elad Golan said he hopes to see guest speakers like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates - "someone that everyone's heard of."

He added that he expects to meet other active participants in the Fox Leadership Program, such as himself.

The 66 applicants completed an online application that included an essay, much like those of other residential programs.

Although Golan said he attends almost every Fox event, applicants did not need any previous leadership experience to apply, both Brutsche and Grcich said.

Rather, they looked for students with varying "talents and abilities," said Grcich, who are not necessarily "all-star" leaders - Brutsche added that he does not want to penalize students for lacking opportunities in high school.

Still he added, "It seems everybody these days has a list of leadership experiences under their belt."

Future participant and College freshman Alex Turner said he is looking forward to meeting and living with others who are equally interested in leadership.

Turner, who is planning to pursue a career in politics and government, said he joined the program partially to improve his skills in those fields.

"Students learn better when they're living and learning together," said Brutsche. He said he hopes students "gain a tangible and real-life feel" for leadership because leadership is not just something that can be learned from a book.

Grcich said he hopes the program will contribute to the greater communities at Penn and in Rodin.

He added, "I truly believe that this is going to be the most dynamic residential program on campus next year."

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