If you think back to your days in school, there are usually one or two classes that stand out in your memory. For many, these classes are the ones that offered a unique balance between difficulty and fun.
For the students in Donnelly’s first-ever Art & Practice of Community Leadership class, this class did just that.
The course combined fun, interactive, in-class exercises and speakers with off-campus activities such as meetings with local elected officials and tours of important community buildings, neighborhoods and landmarks.
“I have never been in a class like this before,” said student Claudia Rodriguez who is currently pursuing her Associate of Arts degree. “The speakers were the best part because even though it was a small class of about 25 students, we were able to hear from some of KCK’s most influential leaders, both past and present.
“We learned about so many community components, from education to economic development to community health. Our instructors would relate each speaker to a specific leadership theory. In the end, this showed us that even though each person’s skills are different, we can all be great leaders.”
The class, made up of both Donnelly students and members of the community, had three instructors, including Carol Marinovich, former Mayor/CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, community leader and retired court executive Pat Brune, and Donnelly faculty member and Coordinator of Organizational Leadership Susan Keim.
Even though most of the community members took the course as a non-credit, they wanted to get the most out of it.
“We told them that they didn’t need to complete the assignments and journal entries, but they all did anyway,” said Keim. “This was very encouraging because it was obvious they were truly interested in the topics and wanted to take in as much as they could.”
“I enrolled after I saw an article about this class in the Kansas City Star,” said Gus Lind, a Lenexa, Kan., resident who works as an engineer within the city’s community development department. “The speakers were fantastic. Most of all, I loved the students in the class itself because it was such a wide variety of ages, as well as ethnic and economic backgrounds.
“This made the experience richer and created opportunities for inspiring conversations. Even during the first class period before any of us knew each other, everyone was energized and asking good questions.”
One community member admits he had a negative perception of Wyandotte County when he enrolled in the course.
“It was around the third class period when I realized how incredible KCK really is,” said Gary Shults, Lee’s Summit, Mo., resident. “Everyone was so passionate and proud to be a part of it, which made me feel proud as well.
“We learned about countless non-profits, businesses and local resources that keep the community running - many of which I didn’t even know existed. My opinion is forever changed. This class has made me eager to explore and learn more about all the things Wyandotte County has to offer.”
“Many of the community members, and even a number of students, expressed a new or renewed interest in advancing the community,” said Marinovich. “Our hope is that they pass this new knowledge and KCK pride along to others.”