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In collaboration with the Jones Center for Leadership and Service at the University of Tennessee, Leadership Knoxville Scholars targets current rising junior leaders in a cohort-style leadership development program. The LK Scholars program recruits the best and brightest leaders at the University of Tennessee and connects them to impactful change agents and leaders within the Knoxville community.
- Program established in 2013.
- Duration is two years.
- Program has 50 annual participants, with junior and senior-level cohorts of 25 students each.
- Students paired with Leadership Knoxville alumni mentors.
- Community action project completed by every scholar.
- Includes community outings and weekly guest speakers from the Knoxville area.
TIME COMMITMENT
This program is a two-year commitment for rising college juniors that includes two courses at UT, mentor meetings, group meetings and a community service project.
TUITION COST
LK Scholars is free for full-time students of the University of Tennessee.
APPLICATION INFO
Applications are submitted to the Jones Center for Leadership and Service at the University of Tennessee in the spring.
CONNECTING & RETAINING TOMORROW’S LEADERS
Leadership Knoxville Scholars takes an innovative approach to leadership education by immersing college students in leadership classes, pairing them with prominent mentors from the community, exposing them to community needs through a one-year partnership with a non-profit organization and exploring the area through excursions to local landmarks and much more. The goal is to find multiple ways to connect young leaders with our city to retain top young talent in our region.
SERVICE & ACADEMICS
In addition to the learning activities throughout the program, students also will take two UT leadership courses. The first focuses on servant leadership and the social change model of leadership while learning about civic engagement and Knoxville’s history. The second is a senior capstone that focuses on leadership development and civic engagement post-graduation. Servant leadership is a core value of the program, and students will complete a community action project (CAP) benefiting a community partner and work with that partner for a year.
FAQS
Leadership Knoxville Scholars is a two-year leadership development and community immersion program. It takes an innovative approach to leadership education through community partnerships, bringing together student leaders in collaboration with the University of Tennessee. Students take leadership classes, are paired with prominent mentors from the community and are exposed to community needs through a one-year partnership with a non-profit organization. The program strives to find multiple ways to connect young leaders to our city to retain top young talent in our region.
Rising juniors from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Two years. Temporary leave from the program may be granted to accommodate students seeking study abroad and/or internship opportunities.
Servant leadership, community building and social change are the core values of Leadership Knoxville Scholars.
Leadership Knoxville Scholars participate in two separate leadership courses that bookend their experience in the program. The first class, ELPS411 LKS Fall Seminar, focuses on servant leadership and the social change model of leadership while learning about civic engagement and Knoxville’s history. ELPS 411 LKS Senior Capstone, the last course, focuses on leadership development and civic engagement post-graduation.
- Strengthen the relationship between UT students and the Knoxville community.
- Connect students to community leaders and opportunities for growth.
- Empower students with leadership skills to help them succeed following graduation.
- Expose students to a variety of leadership theories and approaches.
- Enable students to identify community needs specific to Knoxville.
- Support students as they utilize leadership to create positive change in the local community.
- Empower students to embrace a servant leadership mindset and practice.
- Provide student leaders with an opportunity to explore what it means to leave a leadership legacy.
- Educate students to identify their core values and commit to act on them.
- Encourage student self-awareness as it relates to personal strengths, privileges, preferences and challenges.
Yes! Scholars are paired one-on-one with a mentor who is a prominent community leader and a Leadership Knoxville program alum. Scholars and mentors meet at a mentor reveal event during the scholars’ second semester in the program and remain together until graduation. These relationships help with both professional and personal development.
Servant leadership is a core value of the program and students will complete a community action project (CAP) benefiting a community partner, and work with that partner for a year. Scholars are put into groups and paired with one of the program’s community partners.
The Knoxville immersion trip takes place before the students begin the program in the fall of their junior year. Past trips have included bus tours, eating at local restaurants, meeting local entrepreneurs and visiting the Sunsphere. There also are planned excursions that have included activities such as attending a City Council meeting, hiking at Ijams Nature Center, learning about the Urban Wilderness and visiting Knoxville Arts & Fine Crafts Center.
Information, including LK Scholars application can be found at https://leadserve.utk.edu/leadership-knoxville-scholars/