Rising Leaders in Public, International, and Arctic Affairs Program
Preparing the next generation of visionary and high-impact leaders
In today鈥檚 context of global interconnectivity, the Rising Leaders in Public, International,
and Arctic Affairs Program is a University-level initiative poised to play a major
role in positioning UAA as 熊猫在线视频n pioneer in developing the next generation of public
and international affairs skillful leaders committed to improving the state of 熊猫在线视频,
the Artic region, the United States, and contribute to a better world.
The Rising Leaders Program helps students hone their leadership skills to accelerate
their personal development and maximize their impact and success in public, international,
and arctic affairs.
The Rising Leaders Program provides students across multiple disciplines the opportunity
to engage in life changing experiential learning while developing real world problem
solving skills so that they can participate and ultimately become leaders in local,
national, and international decision-making processes in our diverse, multicultural
and globalized world.
Program
Lecture Series
Students interact and network with local, national, and global leaders, during private
meetings specially organized for them.
Skill Development Activities
Students will develop effective public speaking, writing, networking, and professional
skills. Deliverables will include high quality professional documents (strategic notes,
policy memos, briefing notes, business strategies, etc.) in order to facilitate acquisition
of skills necessary for a successful and high-impact career.
Mentorship
Students will identify and develop a close relationship with a mentor, signing a mentorship
agreement with specific goals.
Practicum and Real-Life Impact
Students will practice implementing what they have learned in a real life context
while maximizing their impact in public and private projects or organizations. The
practicum may include, but is not limited to local, national, or international internship,
volunteering, work, travels, or research projects which are internationally oriented
but with local impact, or locally oriented but with international impact.
Concentrations
Three concentrations are available to students: Rising Leaders in Public Affairs;
Rising Leaders in International Affairs; and Rising Leaders in Arctic Affairs.
Selection process:
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Director of the Rising Leaders Program
Social Sciences Building-362
3211 Providence Dr.
熊猫在线视频
Anchorage, 熊猫在线视频 99501
T: 907-786-4549
E: lsigne@alaska.edu
Testimony: What Students Think
Xavier Mason
鈥淗is guidance and advice really helped me improve my competitiveness for the competition,
assisting me in building a strategy on how to showcase my intellect and complementing
it with my social businesses. My extensive sessions with Professor Signe proved to
be of great value, with his guidance, I ultimately became a Finalist for the third
most competitive scholarship in the United States.鈥�
鈥淧rofessor Signe helped me develop a step-by-step plan of action that I could execute. Not only did he assist me in the developing of the executive committee, but he created more value to the initial plan, by providing his personal insight. Now, I have a better Youth Council and a far greater vision that the organization now lives up to.鈥�
鈥淏y watching Professor Signe work, I am now more purposeful in my work-habits so that I waste less time and get more done. My grades have improved, my ability to maintain my work load is more secure than before, even though it is fuller than it has ever been. I am excelling in numerous organizations on campus such as: The College of Business and Public Policies Leadership Fellows Program, Emerging Leadership Program, Golden Key Honors Society, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Community Engaged Student Assistants, and my own companies VisualAid, HandMade, and CurrrentEnergy. It is hard for me to overstate the significance Professor Signe鈥檚 mentorship has had and the impact it has made on my life. I am really humbled and grateful that he has enough confidence in me to have time set aside for me, despite his many responsibilities on campus and the international community.鈥�
Matthieu Ostrander
鈥淎s a mentee of Professor Sign茅, my personal, academic, and professional development
has been marked by notable accomplishments that have opened doors to my future. In
April, I was ranked in the top ten debaters in the United States at the US Universities
Debating Championship at Purdue鈥攁n accomplishment that stemmed from performing exceptionally
strong in a round about settlement construction in the Palestinian territories, where
I employed what I had learned in PS 490. In April, I was also accepted and given a
grant to attend a human rights intensive at Stanford University during the summer,
which I was regrettably unable to attend. Instead, over the summer I participated
in an academic internship program at The Washington Center, an opportunity that only
became possible after receiving a $10,200 scholarship to fund my tuition and housing.
Professor Sign茅 provided vital support and advice throughout the application process,
both helping me prepare the application itself, but also by writing an extremely strong
letter of recommendation on my behalf that stood out because of his detailed knowledge
of my skills and strengths. In June, I received a $10,000 scholarship towards graduate
school after winning the Global Debate and Public Policy Challenge in Budapest, Hungary.
Professor Sign茅 reviewed my written submissions throughout Fall 2013, and helped me
strategize my approach to the various portions of the competition during Spring 2014.
Going forward, I am pleased that Dr. Sign茅 has agreed to review and help me revise
my applications for graduate school. As it is my goal to enter a highly ranked program,
his experience will really be valuable.鈥�
Curtis Leitch
鈥淟ooking back at the senior year of my undergraduate at the 熊猫在线视频,
one of the most (if not the most) life changing decisions I made was agreeing to a
mentorship with Dr. Landry Signe. Although I am no longer formally enrolled in any
classes taught by Dr. Signe, or at UAA for that matter, I continue to learn from my
teacher and mentor on a regular basis throughout life鈥檚 course. Throughout my mentorship
with Dr. Signe, I have learned about what it means to be a political scientist in
the field; what it takes to successfully obtain your career goals; the importance
of being an engaged citizen, and what it means to be a leader.
In addition to growing as an academic, Dr. Signe helped me create a plan to successfully pursue my career goals and develop from a professional standpoint. When talking about my summer plans, I had mentioned to Dr. Signe that I needed to take credits over the summer to graduate. Dr. Signe responded by urging me to apply to Stanford鈥檚 Summer Semester Program. I couldn鈥檛 have even fathomed the idea of acceptance into said program; however, Dr. Signe had faith in my abilities. I decided to apply after talking with Dr. Signe and was later accepted into the program. I ultimately declined the offer after pursuing another opportunity; however, Dr. Signe showed me that I was able to accomplish much more than I had previously thought was possible. I declined the offer to Stanford because I pursued another option Dr. Signe had opened me up to. Dr. Signe had posted on blackboard a scholarship opportunity with The Washington Center. With my confidence level boosted, I applied to the program and was accepted and given a scholarship to attend the semester in Washington D.C.鈥�
Emily Fredenberg
鈥淭his time last year I was in the throes of the graduate application process. Making
a transition from a very different undergraduate background into the study of international
development was quite an undertaking. Finding Dr. Signe as my University of 熊猫在线视频
mentor was instrumental to the success I experienced in the application process.
Without his intense coaching I certainly wouldn鈥檛 have been standing where I am now,
a year later. Thanks in no small part to Dr. Signe鈥檚 assistance, I was accepted into
a number of reach graduate programs including Columbia University鈥檚 Development Practice
program. Upon being offered a substantial scholarship, I accepted my offer to attend
Syracuse University where I am currently studying. At Syracuse University, I also
have the esteemed opportunity to work as a graduate assistant for Catherine Bertini,
former CEO of the World Food Programme. Dr. Signe has quite the way of making the
unbelievable possible, but only if you鈥檙e willing to meet him with equal determination
and effort.鈥�