President's Student Leadership Program

The President’s Student Leadership Program seeks applications from students who are active in their community or student life and are keen to further develop their leadership skills and practice. If you have used your skills and strengths to bring positive impacts for others in your community, student environment, or work we encourage you to apply. That is, some applicants may be members of the executive of their student and community organizations or active in community; others may have led more informally to make a difference.

UM students do not need transcripts to apply. Non-UM students need an official transcript to apply. Official transcripts are required for application packages to be deemed complete. Transcripts should be recent, not older than three months old at the time of application. Alternately, applicants may obtain a letter of enrolment from their institution verifying their ongoing successful status, and when they are expected to graduate from their program of study.

Yes, however you will be asked to commit to attending all sessions in the proceeding academic year. These will be one-day sessions on Saturdays approximately every eight weeks, from September of the current academic year until April of the following academic year.

Yes. We will provide letters on request, to successful applicants who might need to be excused from an internship, co-op or job for the core week (the second full week in June annually).

Supervisors, professors, advisors, teaching assistants, mentors or others who know and can comment in detail on your leadership contributions. All applications require two (2) testimonials (to be completed online by testimnial writers/referees) that must be submited by the application deadline. Please note that testimonial writers will receive an email prompted to complete your testimonial once you sumit your online application. Please do this ahead of the application deadline to allow your testimonial writer adequate time to complete the testimonial form to support your application.

Core Week in June

The core week of the program is a multi-day, live-in seminar with site visits, group service project, hands-on leadership workshops and peer learning. It runs in the second full week of June annually, Sunday through Saturday.

The program is intensive, and most days will start at 8 a.m. (for breakfast) and end around 8:30 p.m.

Fall and winter sessions

Following the core week, there will be one-day sessions on Saturdays approximately every eight weeks from September to April of the following year.

Yes. The core week of the program runs as an on-site, live-in seminar, full attendance and participation is required.

Yes. In-person follow-up seminars and events will take place bi-monthly (approximately every eight weeks) on Saturdays in the following academic year. All successful applicants are asked to commit to these Saturdays.  Travel funding will be available to successful applicants who reside outside of Winnipeg to attend the Saturday sessions.

Yes. This criterion is critical to the success of not just individual participant but the full cohort of students participating in the program. The program will be collaborative and immersive, bringing students and leaders together for a unique learning experience, and drawing on peer learning, which requires everyone’s presence throughout.

Yes. The live-in component of the program is an important aspect of the immersive design of the core week. Staying on-site will enable you to be fully present and ensure you have time to reflect about what you are experiencing day to day. The program will work most effectively as a retreat from your regular activities.  

Accommodations are high quality shared spaces.

No preparatory work will be required. There will be a program website with background information for participants prior to the start date of the core week.   

Participation in the President’s Student Leadership Program is funded through a student fellowship. It is fully funded, including meals, transportation to site visits, and accommodations. There is no direct cost to participants.

Travel grants will be available to enable in-person participation in the weekend seminars and event outside of the core week, for students who need to travel to Winnipeg from other parts of the province.

A small bursary fund will be available by application for successful candidates who are not able to attend without financial support for childcare or other eligible expenses. An invoice to support the application is required.

The program will involve a number of site visits where students will engage with leaders in their own organizations or companies, in different sectors of our economy and society. There will also be talks by renowned leaders as part of the on-site programs and workshops, both during the core week and in the later Saturday sessions during the year. Sites and sectors will include: 

• ·         innovative businesses;
• ·         the arts sector;
• ·         Indigenous leadership and organizations;
• ·         the justice system;
• ·         information technology/artificial intelligence;
• ·         healthcare and social services;
• ·         construction and trades; and
• ·         manufacturing.

Participants will hear from organizational leaders, ask questions and exchange ideas with the leaders to learn first-hand about their toughest challenges how they build thriving and sustainable organizations. Participants will work in diverse teams to reflect on what they learned, hear different perspectives, and report back to the group on observations and how they can apply what they learned to their own leadership.

Yes. The PSLP is open to students from any Manitoba post-secondary institution, from any faculty or program.

No. The President’s Student Leadership Program is a special non-credit program. A letter of accomplishment from the University of Manitoba will be awarded upon completion. As well, UM students who complete all components of the program will receive an Experience Record recognition on their transcripts.