President’s Leadership Council

The President’s Leadership Council is a class consisting of Oklahoma State’s most prominent leaders. It requires an application process, followed by an interview. Once an
applicant has been accepted, they must attend a mandatory retreat two weeks before the start of school. This retreat consists of meeting your family groups, gaining a different perspective on leadership, and interacting with the other incoming freshmen who also want to grow as leaders. I felt as though this retreat offered a great introduction to not only how the class would be, but also how Oklahoma State is as a university. Getting to spend the weekend surrounded by like-minded leaders who each possess their own unique traits is quite the experience. The course itself is a great opportunity for members of the new freshman class to build strong leadership skills as well as make meaningful connections that guide them during their time at Oklahoma State. So far, I have already learned so much about my own personal values, as well as what values I seek out in
others.

To get a more in-depth understanding of what PLC means to the students who experience it, I interviewed my very own PLC facilitator, Mackenzie Frech. Mackenzie is a sophomore education major here at Oklahoma State and plans to one day become a teacher. This career goal of hers helped fuel her desire to become a PLC facilitator. As I sat down with her in the Union, I immediately knew I was going to get some keen insight on leadership and why it is so important for incoming college students. While I knew Mackenzie’s time as a freshman in PLC was different from many others, I also knew her perspective offered a real and informed look at how the course operates. She will be the first to admit that you truly do get out what you put into something and PLC is no exception to this. At the beginning of the school year, Mackenzie opened up to myself and the rest of our family about her experience in PLC freshmen year. She explained how she felt as though she was the only one in her group who actually wanted to be
there. “It made it hard for me to really open up and get the most out of the time I had with them,” she explained to us. In spite of this, Mackenzie is still grateful for the time she spent learning. “PLC gives you the space for introspective growth,” she stated when asked how her leadership abilities were affected by her time in the class. As I asked her to elaborate, she expanded, “ I just thought about myself a lot more and how my personality affects others.” Being in the class myself, I can confirm that we are really pushed to examine our own character and determine the type of leader we want to be. Without going into too much detail and spoiling the premis of the course, one of the major things we discuss is how to fight for the highest common good in every situation. In doing this, one can lead in a way that allows them to remain humble and fair. Many students can have a hard time understanding this concept because it can interfer with “the college experience.” The truth is, we are all here to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.

As the interview continued, I began to see how passionate Mackenzie is for PLC. When asked if she would recommend the PLC class or being a facilitator to others she answered quickly, “Yes, I definitely would! I think a lot of personal experience is based on who your facilitators are and if you get lucky your first year, you will get a lot out of it.” I can definitely say that I got lucky having Mackenzie as one of my facilitators this year. Her dedication to this program proved ever so apparent to me when she said “being a facilitator is one of the most rewarding things I have done.” Her willingness to help myself and the rest of the freshmen in my family group has truly earned her the title of being our “mom.” Mackenzie’s attitude toward PLC is a great reflection of what the class is all about, selfless leadership. Each semester we are required to get ten service hours, though we are encouraged to do more than that. In addition, the service hours are also required to come from volunteering with a local philanthropy as a way of pouring back into the Stillwater community. This aspect of the course has been my favorite because it encourages us to put the needs of others above our own and strive to make a difference in the world around us. It is encouraging to be a part of a class full young leaders who want to see change and growth in our community. For anyone looking to grow as leader, friend, or member of society, I strongly recommend applying for the President’s Leadership Council.