Assistant Director

Don Johnson

Assistant Director, Center for Leadership Development

Education:

                Bachelors of Science – Southern Oregon University

                Masters of Fine Arts – University of Puget Sound

Don Johnson has worked at Oregon State University for thirty-five years serving a variety of responsibilities within Student Affairs. Originally hired in 1976 to manage the Memorial Union Craft Center, Don later moved into the position of Assistant Director for Student Activities, working with student programs and organizations. In 1990 he became Assistant Director of the Memorial Union responsible for Programs, Marketing and Assessment. In more recent years Don has become the Assistant Director of the Center for Leadership Development with a focus on Identity Development, Team Development and Teaching. He teaches an undergraduate class – The Last Year Experience – which focus on post-college skills, and graduate classes in the College Student Services Administration program.

For the past eighteen years Don has administered the Student Development Seminar welcoming students around the country for a three day seminar which focuses on identity development. sdsmagic.com

Don is married to Sandra Hom, an Occupational Therapist and their son Taylor is in graduate school at University of North Carolina.

College Life

College Life is a 2 credit course offered in spring quarter and open to all students.

Course Overview

College life provides an opportunity for you to connect the dots between what you have learned in college with many other elements of your life, in order to enhance your understanding of self. Technical skills are essential in your life, but not having a sense of self renders those technical skills average.

This course will provide an opportunity to for you to investigate your identity through an examination of your college experience and a variety of life concerns your experience on a regular basis. Topics examined will be defining identity, the composition of everyday life, diversity on campus, health, peer relationships, family relationships, character development and understanding the soul.

LAST YEAR EXPERIENCE

The Last Year Experience is a two credit course for students of Junior and Senior standing during winter quarter.

Course Overview

This course is intended to provide you with skills and knowledge to better enhance your level of success upon graduation from college.

There are two parallel themes:

LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

As a service to student organizations on the OSU campus, SLI staff in The Center for Leadership Development and the Student Events and Activities Center have developed a number of resources to support you as a leader and/or your student organization.

Our intentions are two fold:

1. Help you develop your skills in order to more effectively lead within the OSU community
2. Support the development of your student organization in ways that allow it to run affectively and acheive and accomplish organization goals.

Our Team of Peer Leadership Consultants are available to present and consult on a variety of leadership and organization development areas.  Take a look at the workshop topics and tip sheets we currently have available and know that we are always open to working with you to customize any workshop or to develop new areas as needed.

Leadership and Organization Development Workshops

Leadership and Organization Development Workshop Request

Leadership and Organization Development Tip Sheets

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY

The Leadership Development Center operates with the following guiding principles:

• A focus on IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT
  • Distinguishing characteristics of the individual.
  • Acknowledging ones perception of their identity as reflected in their own eyes and in the eyes of others.
• Guided by the concepts of SERVANT LEADERSHIP
  • A desire to serve first and then a conscious choice to lead.
  • Nurture and support others before leading.
  • By placing “leading” first, there is a tendency to support power and/or material objects.
• Anchored by THE SOCIAL CHANGE MODEL
  • Individual values
  • Group value
  • Community values
• Using the mechanism of the LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
  • An organization/facility designed to assist in identifying university wide resources for the understanding of identity and development of the servant leader.
  • This can include current and new workshops, classes, coaching, mentoring or access to the myriad of leadership opportunities existing around the university.
  • Illuminating the choice of leadership moments.
  • This office will maintain a Research and Assessment component.

2013 Art of Leadership Conference

The Art of Leadership Conference: Networking, Connections for a Brighter Future

Saturday, February 23, 2013 | 11:00 – 4:00 | OSU Memorial Union

The Art of Leadership Conference will focus on Networking: Connections for a Brighter Future. A keynote by Marlis Miller, and various breakout sessions will allow us to examine our leadership skills, and how we currently communicate with our colleauges, friends, and family in our current environment. The breakout session topics will focus both on the importance of leadership and the keys of how leadership can help lead to successful networking. We will spend the day exploring how to build connections in college, after college, and how to strengthen the connections you already have. Just for attending the entire conference, 3 OSU students will each win a $1000 scholarship. 

The conference is FREE and lunch will be provided by Qdoba.

REGISTRATION IS Now Closed. However a limited number of walk-ins will be allowed. Feel free to stop by the MU at 10:45 on February 23rd, and we will do our best to accomadate. 

Join our LinkedIn group to stay connected with the conference:

Join LinkedIn group

Questions? Please contact: milan.laurent@oregonstate.edu   

Students must be registered at Oregon State University for spring 2013 to win the scholarship. Student staff who work for the Memorial Union organization or Student Leadership & Involvement department are not eligible to win the scholarship(s). 

 Conference Schedule at a Glance

Conference Break Out Session List

There will be three rounds of break out sessions: 12:10 pm -12:55 pm, 1:05pm -1:50pm, and 2:00pm -2:45pm. At registration, participants will be assigned to a lunch, and will have lunch (provided by Qdoba) during either session 1 or session 2.

 Please see the list of sessions below. Room numbers will be provided on the day of the conference.

1. Title: “Networking in a Digital Age”

Focus on using media to help further your career goals and learn the proper etiquette to maintain professionalism online. Focused on the importance of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and how those outlets can be helpful or hurtful in your career search. 

2. Title: "The Start Up of You!"

Focus on professional development, strategic goal setting and relationship building. An interactive workshop, with several activities designed to give you head start on your next move. (based on a book written by the co-founder of Linkedin)

3. Title: “Personal Branding & Professional Development”

Discover how to portray the correct image to employers and make yourself standout when applying for jobs. The importance of being a leader rather than a manager will be touched on and how to properly present yourself and make connections to further your career goals. 

4. Title: “What's Next?”

Explore the question of “what’s next?”. Possible topics include: what to do to further yourself while you’re here on campus and how they can use the resources available  to create connections for the future. Post-grad anxiety and how to deal with moving forward after college will also be addressed. 

5. Title: “True Colors & How to Network for Your Personality"

Focus on your personal identity and values. Learn how you can use your strengths in networking and how networking can be altered for your personality. This break-out session includes skill-building on how you can randomly strike up conversations with people to further your goals. 

Registration for Leadership Conference Completed

Thank you for completing the Leadership Conference registration.

You should recieve an email in a day or two.

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR

The Student Development Seminar is an annual retreat held each summer for students interested in exploring their life goals and leadership identity.

Seminar Signature
The focus of the Student Development Seminar is the enhancement of skills that will assist you as you become a significant contributor in the world. The seminar poses questions and presents issues that challenge assumptions and help strengthen intellectual resources.

The Why
The Student Development Seminar is an opportunity for you and other colleagues to explore life goals, leadership skills, professional values, and ethical integrity. The concept of creative thinking and the challenging of current assumptions will weave our conversation throughout the seminar.

On Leadership
The world is in great need of leadership. In order to provide leadership, we must manage our own character, integrity, acts, words and wisdom. Join us for a study of leadership, values and creativity.

The Environment
The Student Development Seminar is held on the magnificent grounds of the Menucha Retreat and Conference Center in Corbett, Oregon. Menucha, originally the summer home of Oregon’s Governor Meier, is set on a high bluff overlooking the Columbia River. With one hundred acres of lawn, woodlands, and gardens, Menucha is a place for study and reflection.

For more information, contact the staff of the Leadership Development Center or visit the Student Development Seminar website here.

Student Community Symposium

          …building community one Beaver at a time!

The Department of Leadership & Involvement invites you to attend the Student Community Symposiums! These interactive sessions are developed to provide leadership development opportunities for all students, while encouraging relationship-building across campus.

2013 Art of Leadership Conference

The Art of Leadership Conference: Networking, Connections for a Brighter Future

Saturday, February 23, 2013 | 11:00 – 4:00 | OSU Memorial Union

The Art of Leadership Conference will focus on Networking: Connections for a Brighter Future. A keynote by Marlis Miller, and various breakout sessions will allow us to examine our leadership skills, and how we currently communicate with our colleauges, friends, and family in our current environment. The breakout session topics will focus both on the importance of leadership and the keys of how leadership can help lead to successful networking. We will spend the day exploring how to build connections in college, after college, and how to strengthen the connections you already have. Just for attending the entire conference, 3 OSU students will each win a $1000 scholarship. 

The conference is FREE and lunch will be provided by Qdoba. 

REGISTRATION Is Now Closed. 

Join our LinkedIn group to stay connected with the conference:

Join LinkedIn group

Questions? Please contact the Center for Leadership Development   

Students must be registered at Oregon State University for spring 2013 to win the scholarship. Student staff who work for the Memorial Union organization or Student Leadership & Involvement department are not eligible to win the scholarship(s). 

 Conference Schedule at a Glance

Conference Break Out Session List

There will be three rounds of break out sessions: 12:10 pm -12:55 pm, 1:05pm -1:50pm, and 2:00pm -2:45pm. At registration, participants will be assigned to a lunch, and will have lunch (provided by Qdoba) during either session 1 or session 2.

 Please see the list of sessions below. Room numbers will be provided on the day of the conference.

1. Title: “Networking in a Digital Age”

Focus on using media to help further your career goals and learn the proper etiquette to maintain professionalism online. Focused on the importance of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and how those outlets can be helpful or hurtful in your career search. 

2. Title: "The Start Up of You!"

Focus on professional development, strategic goal setting and relationship building. An interactive workshop, with several activities designed to give you head start on your next move. (based on a book written by the co-founder of Linkedin)

3. Title: “Personal Branding & Professional Development”

Discover how to portray the correct image to employers and make yourself standout when applying for jobs. The importance of being a leader rather than a manager will be touched on and how to properly present yourself and make connections to further your career goals. 

4. Title: “What's Next?”

Explore the question of “what’s next?”. Possible topics include: what to do to further yourself while you’re here on campus and how they can use the resources available  to create connections for the future. Post-grad anxiety and how to deal with moving forward after college will also be addressed. 

5. Title: “True Colors & How to Network for Your Personality"

Focus on your personal identity and values. Learn how you can use your strengths in networking and how networking can be altered for your personality. This break-out session includes skill-building on how you can randomly strike up conversations with people to further your goals.

CLASSES

Emerging Leaders

•  See class details

College Life

• See class details

The Last Year Experience

• See class details

Everyday Leaders

THE CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT at Oregon State University is dedicated to nurturing opportunities for students to develop as leaders, become engaged participants in their own lives, and in the world beyond OSU. At the heart of our philosophy lies the unwavering belief that leadership is – quite simply put – doing something that matters in pursuit of creating a better self and a better world.

The Center staff supports students and student groups in their efforts to understand leadership, develop their personal strengths, understand how to maximize their group potential, and become active citizens in our democratic society. We believe that leadership can spring from any person, at any level of an organization, and through any form of positive change that is uniquely shaped across our diverse community. EverydayLEADERS gives a glimpse of student leadership at OSU directly through the lens of students.

From interviews conducted in fall 2010 by Mike Shingle, the book below describes how leadership has been defined through the student voice. Students tell their story about what it is that they do that makes a difference and how they are redefining student leadership at OSU.

everydayLEADERS, a book from the Center for Leadership Development, by Mike Shingle [pdf]

The Portfolio: Defining Your Path After College

Many will begin a career while others might choose to begin graduate school. The Center for Leadership Development will help you prepare for that next phase of your life by helping you create your Portfolio.

Sign up to begin your Portfolio by scheduling an appointment with the Leadership Development Assistant by filling out this form: https://surveys.bus.oregonstate.edu/main.aspx?SurveyID=4865

Why a Portfolio?

Potential employers and graduate programs are no longer satisfied with a list of accomplishments. More and more they want to know: What did you learn? The Portfolio will help you identify accomplishments, define what you learned and how you grew from experiences, and create ways in which you can best share and describe your valuable skills and talents as you head off to life after college.

The Portfolio is a collection of examples that illustrate experiences and knowledge gained during your college career. The Center for Leadership Development will work with you to design your portfolio.

Your Portfolio will:

• Increase your confidence and organizational skills as you near the end of your college career
  • You will have a greater ability to develop a focus for employment, graduate school or personal development.
• Provide a format for you to better define and share your college experience
  • This includes academic, co-curricular and social experiences
• Help you define relevant information and formats for resumes, cover letters, and graduate school applications
• Prepare you to articulate your experiences more explicitly as you interview for a position
• Help you define evidence of your skills in various competencies

How does it happen and who helps?

The earlier in your college career you begin your Portfolio - the better prepared you will be when you are a senior. In the Center for Leadership Development, we will work with you every step of the way to:

• provide you with an advisor who will offer guidance
• help you identify information on what include in your portfolio
• inform and advise on experiences for you to consider
• create professional looking documents
• serve as your “college office” - a space for maintaining materials throughout your college career
• encourage you with occasional reminders and opportunities to grow and update your portfolio

To begin…

1. Sign up online to talk with the Leadership Development Assistant (LDA) in the Center for Leadership Development
   • URL:  https://surveys.bus.oregonstate.edu/main.aspx?SurveyID=4865
2. Look for an email to confirm a time and location for the first meeting
3. Meet with the LDA during your designated time and location
   • Are you an Ecampus student? We can arrange for other ways to meet and discuss this program via Skype, telephone, or chat online. Make sure you let us know when you sign up.
4. The LDA will work with you to customize a plan for creating your portfolio. 
   • This plan will depend on you, including: your class standing (freshmen, senior, etc.), your experiences in college thus far, what you hope to do after college.

Additional Information on The Portfolio

The Leadership Development Assistant (LDA) will guide you through the process to create a portfolio. Below is additional information that may be helpful. These will all be discussed in greater detail during your meeting with the LDA.

Portfolio Chapters

You will have the opportunity to see several different portfolio examples, each one unique. Your Portfolio will be a collection of work (documents, artifacts, and other visuals) that is a genuine representation of who you are as a developing professional.

1. Synthesis of what I learned (or will learn) in college
   • This is a short reflection on what you learned in college or hope to gain throughout your remaining years in college.
2. Résumé, career goals, and branding yourself
   • We will help you to create a general résumé, a short written description of your career goals, and will explore the professional networking site LinkedIn.
3. Strength identification
   • You will take the StrengthsQuest® assessment to understand what your top 5 strengths are, what they mean to you, and how you can apply them throughout your life.
4. Telling your story
   • Create three ways to describe an experience you've had during an internship, group project, summer job, class work, or other experience following our proven formula that will help you to explain it best to future employers or graduate schools.