Leadership centre offers hands-on Ottawa experience
OTTAWA, ON—A residential internship program that offers third- and fourth-year university students and graduate students academic courses, internships and community living celebrated its 10th anniversary in October.
The Laurentian Leadership Centre (LLC) in Ottawa, Ontario, is a live-in, extension program of Langley, B.C.'s Trinity Western University. It focuses on leadership in public policy, business, and communications.
"It has been really rewarding because many of our alumni have stayed in Ottawa or come back to Ottawa," says LLC director Janet Buckingham. "We have a fairly large group of alumni, some of whom are working or doing graduate work. To see them and continue to be involved in what they're doing is great."
Each year, 21 to 23 students live in the LLC, which is based in an historic mansion in the heart of downtown Ottawa, just nine blocks from Parliament Hill. A good portion of the program involves working in politics and with government leaders, but also civil service, media, business and journalism.
LLC student Clayton Andres, a fourth-year English major with a minor in history, is interning with Ottawa Life magazine.
"The best part for me has been just being out there in the 'real' world, gaining new practical experience and knowledge every day. I've enjoyed going to work everyday, even if I'm not getting paid," he says. "At my internship, I feel like I am part of a team and treated as an equal, not just another student intern that people forget about after a few days."
The LLC's comprehensive nature is a big drawing card for students, he says.
"The majority of the class content and internship opportunities are geared towards the political realm, yet we spend just as much time discussing philosophy, communications, rhetoric, social sciences and theology," says Andres. "As an English major, I feel challenged here working outside of my major, yet I feel that all the knowledge I bring with me from that area of study is still completely relevant."
And, he says, previous students—including his own brother—have paved the way for a great experience for the current class.
Buckingham says one of the exciting things that have happened over the last few years is that alumni are now supervising the students in their internships.
"Alumni have an interest in our students, they know what to offer and they tend to be good supervisors because they make sure they give the interns a really great experience," she says. "I see that growing in the future. As we see alumni in more senior positions, they're able to take on interns. It really expands, I think, the way the mentoring happens."
The LLC recognized its milestone anniversary with a gala reception on October 23.
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