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Global and Community Leadership Honors Program

Students in Global and Community Leadership (GCL) Honors Program investigate, analyze, and address the challenges and concerns confronted by societies around the world. Such challenges range from educational disparities, poverty, environmental degradation, healthcare access and quality, and more.  Faculty mentoring, specially designed courses, service learning, and a leadership project prepare students to be social entrepreneurs and leaders of social change. In addition, students form a community with like-minded peers who share their goals for transforming the world. 

During this condensed two year program, students get in-depth involvement in one particular community within Birmingham.  They undertake a four semester sequence whereby they research and map the assets of the area; volunteer in local organizations; moderate community forums to get residents’ perspectives on goals for community change; and then complete projects towards those goals set by the community. Students will be encouraged to continue honors work beyond the two years in GCL Honors by participating in a departmental or school-wide honors program. Such study will allow a student to focus on a discipline-specific topic under the guidance of a mentor in his/her department. 

 

BENEFITS

Students who graduate with University Honors in Global and Community Leadership will be empowered to take their new knowledge directly into the workplace if they choose, or they can develop their expertise more deeply in graduate or professional education. While here, you also receive: 

    • Individualized attention by faculty, for mentoring and in coursework
    • Career and graduate school preparation through hands-on experiences in service-learning courses, community research as well as demonstration of leadership skills
    • Strong sense of community with peers who share similar interests and life goalsAdditional amenities, such as 24-hour access to facilities for study and recreation; on-campus benefits such as early-registration and access to honors housing; and exposure to extracurricular opportunities, such as guest lecturers and cultural events
    • Designation of With University Honors in Global and Community Leadership upon completion of the program
    • Scholarship assistance for social-change oriented Study Away courses