I came across the LeADERS Program later in my educational journey after having completed two courses that were applicable to the curriculum. As a lifelong learner, I knew I wanted to ensure that the coursework I was completing for my degree was relevant and challenging. The LeADERS Program was a perfect fit for accomplishing that goal. As a LeADERS candidate, I was able to apply the knowledge from my courses and apply them directly to my resilience work. Further, the program encourages us to examine that knowledge through a set of specific skill areas that positions or enhances the candidate's professional development. I chose each of the LeADERS courses deliberately with the intent to relate the skills to my resilience coaching practice. The experiential learning process has been invaluable to my professional development and growth, providing opportunities for insight and introspection along the way.

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In resilience work, I will be engaging with a diverse group of individuals each with their own values, beliefs, backgrounds and experiences. Taking courses from the LeADERS curriculum provided an environment to practice and hone my resilience skills in a real-world environment. The learning was personalized and applicable in a resilience-based context. Further, I was able to make meaningful connections with both professors and fellow students alike that fostered opportunities for engagement, feedback, and reflection. Much of what I learned was taken further than just the online classroom environment, making the content both engaging and empowering. Additionally, the program afforded me the opportunity to implement and analyze my own resilience skills as well! 

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I will note that I faced some challenges in my Human Factors and Conflict Management courses, both rigorous in their own right. In Human Factors, the challenge was in the heavily technical material which was unlike any other course I had ever taken, especially in Psychology. In contrast, the challenge with the Conflict Management course was in applying analysis and critical thinking on a graduate level. Both of these courses forced hands-on application of key concepts and techniques that I believe have greatly contributed to my professional skill-set. They encouraged identifying and reflecting on my current resilience "toolkit" to determine the most effective ways to navigate the challenges presented by each course. By promoting being proactive and adaptive, they have contributed immensely to both my personal resilience and the resource toolkit I will utilize in assisting clients in building their own resilience.

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Experiential learning gives candidates the opportunity to tackle real-world challenges with a hands-on approach that truly exemplifies what it means to "learn from experience". It has greatly enhanced my professional development and growth, and would be a worthwhile consideration for anyone looking to position themselves as professionals within their respective majors and/or fields.

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