Alpha Kappa Alpha Hosting 2012 Winter Leadership Fellows Program where Future Leaders are Groomed

Dec. 11, 2012 - PRLog -- Contact: Melody McDowell – Chief Information Officer – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority          773-660-2001 – Office 312-371-8917 – Cell       e-mail: melodyaka@aol.com

Alpha Kappa Alpha Hosting 2012 Winter Leadership Fellows Program in Glendale, AZ.

Initiative prepares next generation of leaders through intensive training

Chicago, Illinois – December 11, 2012 - Thirty of the nation’s most promising students – all destined for future leadership roles – have been selected by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as 2012 Winter Leadership Fellows. * This elite group of young scholar/leaders -- will participate in an intensive all-expenses paid series of activities at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa in Glendale Arizona from December 12-16.   The 2012 Winter Fellows – all women -- were selected from a competitive pool of over 95 applicants.

The 2012 Winter Leadership Fellows Program is being presented by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Fund with support from the W.K. Kellogg Fund.

The program serves to exchange and supplement the recruitment of a diverse group of African American women.  It provides corporations with the opportunity to select from a cadre of college-trained women who are endowed with leadership skills and a commitment to community service.

The curriculum and accompanying activities are part of a five-tiered initiative designed to expose undergraduate to leadership and management training by providing theoretical and pragmatic experiences.  The goals and objectives of the Program are designed to provide

1.     Training and Development

2.     Internship Opportunities

3.     Job Placement Opportunities

4.     Mentoring and Volunteerism

5.     Knowledge of the Corporate Environment

During this week of structured activities, the Fellows will be provided with opportunities to participate in intensive training sessions, network with peers and develop lasting mentoring relationships.  They will also participate in community service activities.

Specifically, they will participate in daily interactive workshops presented by AKA’s International Committee Chairmen and/or committee members as well as graduate sorority members from the area.

To fulfill the cultural activity requirement, on Saturday, Dec. 15 the Fellows will visit the Carver Museum in Phoenix as part of their cultural activity. As part of their community outreach mission, that same day Fellows will help make Christmas centerpieces at the renowned St. Vincent de Paul Center in Phoenix for its client Christmas party.

Fellows are chosen through application, recommendation letters from the sorority graduate advisor, an instructor and a community leader. Each also submitted an essay where they described the skills vital to being competitive in a global knowledge-based society.” They attend various colleges and universities across the country and must have at least a “B”/3.0 cumulative GPA.  

“Alpha Kappa Alpha is pleased to offer opportunities to shape the next generation of scholars and leaders through the Leadership Fellows Program, ” said International President Carolyn House Stewart. “Our sisterhood has had a long and distinctive history of attracting and nurturing future leaders who have been influential in contributing to the landscape of communities and businesses across the country.”

The Alpha Kappa alpha Sorority, Inc. Leadership Fellows Program was launched in 1979.  It was created to provide leadership training and to develop a cadre of responsible undergraduate members of the sorority for key leadership roles in the public and private sectors. It is a program dedicated to building essential leadership skills for the sorority and global companies.  Since its founding over 1,000 undergraduate members have gone through the rigorous – yet fulfilling – training.  They have gone on to be hired at such prestigious companies as GE and Tyson Foods.

“We are excited about coming to Glendale, Arizona for our 2012 Leadership Fellows Program,” said Dr. Audrey Cooper-Stanton, AKA’s Leadership Fellows Committee Chairman. “With the world encountering so many complex challenges, it is critical that we identify, nurture, cultivate and train future leaders and imbue them with the skills, acuity and innovative strategies to solve these global problems.  We are certain that this rewarding and fulfilling experience will yield dynamic young ladies posed to take on and find solutions for these challenges.”

About Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority:

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA) is an international service organization that was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-lettered organization established by African-American college-educated women. It is comprised of over 265,000 members in 969 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U. S. Virgin Islands, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea and on the continent of Africa. Its membership includes distinguished women who boast excellent academic records, proven leadership skills, and are involved in the global community through advocacy and service. Alpha Kappa Alpha has dedicated itself to improving the quality of life for citizens worldwide and promoting peace.  The organization is led by its 28th International President Carolyn House Stewart of Tampa, Florida whose administration's programmatic theme is “Global Leadership Through Timeless Service.”

For more information about Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. log on to www.aka1908.com.


For a complete list of  Alpha Kappa Alpha’s 2012 Winter Leadership Fellows, please contact Melody M. McDowell at 773-660-2001.