Ronald W. Reagan Leadership Program

All Reagan Fellows are enrolled in an RLP-specific course each semester. As part of this course, students participate in regular one-on-one meetings with program faculty. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss the student’s leadership, including skills, goals, leadership plans. Program faculty also work with students to identify opportunities for leadership on campus and in the community, to discuss ongoing efforts in their leadership positions, and to troubleshoot challenges that arise within these positions. All Reagan Fellows also come together for monthly colloquia, which feature case studies on leadership, guest speakers, and planning for program events.

No. Aside from the course described in the previous answer, Reagan Fellows are not required to complete additional coursework in Leadership. However, students are encouraged to enroll in such coursework in order to supplement other aspects of the program.

Faculty affiliated with the Reagan Leadership Program teach all coursework in Leadership at Eureka College. The following are courses that can be completed by all college students, including Reagan Fellows.

LDR 115: Introduction to Leadership
LDR 215: Digital Leadership
LDR 315: Diversity and Leadership
LDR 415: Leadership Capstone

In fact, completion of these four courses, alongside an additional elective course, completes the Leadership Certificate, which can be easily added on to a student’s major and minor. The Leadership Certificate is an excellent option for Reagan Fellows.

We encourage our students to think big when planning and securing their mentorship experience. A majority of our students complete the mentorship outside of Illinois. Many do so in the United States. And some go abroad! Students are encouraged to seek mentorship experiences at companies, in programs, and in locations that will help them to develop as leaders and to professionalize as they prepare for graduation. Where this is depends on the student and their interests!

Students have recently completed mentorships or are currently planning mentorships in Costa Rica, England, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Tennessee.

Each student’s mentorship experience is unique. However, most mentorships tend to fall into one of three categories. Students complete internships at companies or institutions in their fields of study. Students enroll in additional training programs to supplement their experience in the classroom. Additionally, students participate in travel and experiential programs to get hands-on experience.

Each Reagan Fellow has access to $6,000 to cover expenses related to the mentorship experience.

Mentorship funding can be used to pay for program fees, travel expenses, housing, food, and technology/software needed for the experience, among other possibilities. Each student crafts a budget in advance of the mentorship, which is approved by the Director of the Reagan Leadership Program.

We recommend that students pursue mentorships of between 4-12 weeks. The exact length will depend on the scope and type of experience.

Most students complete their mentorships during the summer before their senior year. Others do so during the academic year, so long as they have completed necessary coursework. It is also possible for students to complete the mentorship experience during the winter break between the fall and spring semesters of their senior year.

Yes! Students are free to pursue more than one mentorship, so long as they budget appropriately to be able to do so.