Abstract:
Building Blocks is a continual leadership-training program for students who live in the residence halls of Ball State University. The program's objective is to teach leadership skills throughout the academic year in order to reinforce the training given at the beginning of each semester. The skills taught are in four areas and are meant to benefit the individual as well as the residence hall organization. The four areas of the program include Leadership, Recruitment/Retention, Communication, and Programming. Each hall selects areas of interest and decides which to major and/or minor in. The entire program is designed like a college degree program. There is a course description book, complete with requirements and suggested pre-requisites. Members of NRHH, the National Residence Hall Honorary, present programs as requested by the hall. This process will be explained throughout this thesis paper. These are broad presentations designed to involve discussion and idea generation. After completion of all requirements for an area, that hall has a "degree" in a particular aspect of student leadership. This means that residents have been taught a variety leadership skills, have been challenged to better meet the needs of their hall, and have been given the opportunity to grow as student leaders through their experiences.
