Student Leadership Institute

Take the Lead logo

The Student Leadership Institute (SLI) at Río Hondo College is a non-credit certificate program dedicated to developing students to become effective leaders on campus and within their community. Students who participate will acquire and develop the skills and awareness necessary to become an effective leader in their future career.

They learn the value of networking, gain effective communication skills, enhance their confidence, define their leadership style, and engage in learning that augments their academic journey. Students who successfully complete the program in our Emerging Leaders curriculum earn a leadership certificate and acknowledgement by Río Hondo administration, a very marketable tool on a resume and on transfer applications.

SLI participants are required to attend a series of workshops which will earn them a leadership certificate upon program completion. Participation in SLI is free of charge and open to all RHC students. There are no minimum requirements for units enrolled, grade point average, or prior leadership experience for program participation.

Students are required to commit to a full academic year to complete the program.
We are only accepting up to 35 students into the leadership program, and students are accepted based on their application.
Students who attend an orientation session are given priority.

Tracks for Fall and Spring

Track 1 Certificate: Emerging Leadership – Fall

Fall: Emerging Leaders

Workshops and activities are offered through two (2) monthly workshops held at Rio Hondo College. The Fall semester will include two workshops in October and two workshops in November. Each session will include a leadership workshop followed by a reflection and wrap-up.

The curriculum will focus on emerging leadership topics such as Leadership 101, personality and strengths assessments, and conflict resolution.
Track 1 Continued: Experiential Learning – Spring

Spring: Professional Development

Workshops and activities are offered through one (1) workshop in February and two (2) workshops in March, held at Rio Hondo College. In April, students will participate in a social justice excursion and begin working on their Capstone Project, which will culminate in student presentations at the end of the month.

The curriculum will focus on professional development, research, goal setting, teamwork and collaboration, social justice, and applying leadership skills to real-world topics. Students will work together to develop and present a peer-focused Capstone Project based on a topic of their choosing.

There is a graduation banquet for students who complete the full academic year in the program and the banquet is held on campus, the students will be presented with their completion certificate and a voucher for the Rio Hondo College Bookstore.

Schedule of program

Fall 2026

October – Friday, October 9th & Friday, October 23rd
November – Friday, November 6th & Friday, November 20th
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm with a 30 minute reflection and wrap up. Snacks and beverages will be provided

Spring 2027

February – Friday, February 19th
March – Friday, March 5th & Friday, March 19th
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm with a 30 minute reflection and wrap up. Snacks and beverages will be provided

April
Friday, April 2nd – Museum Excursion
Friday, April 30th – Project Presentations

How to apply to the Student Leadership Institute

Río Hondo College Student Institute logo

First step is to complete the application below.
All applicants should attend an orientation, which takes place the month before the first conference. The orientation will provide further information on the curriculum and schedules along with program details.

Student Life – SLI Interest Form

SLI Interest form

General Info(Required)
Name First and Last Email Student ID#
Phone Number(Required)
Which program orientation will you attend?
The orientation is used to explain the program in it’s entirety. There are certain dates and aspects students should be aware of to accurately measure their ability to commit to this program. Students who attend the orientation session are given priority when it comes to acceptance. Orientation will be conducted over Zoom.
- Friday, September 11th @ 12:00 pm
- Thursday, September 24th @ 6:00 pm
What is your major and expected transfer/graduation date?(Required)
Please describe any co-curricular activities you are involved in:(Required)
What do you hope to gain if you are selected to participate in SLI?(Required)
Consent for verification of Student Records:(Required)
I consent to have my student record reviewed for verification of any eligibility requirements for this program.
Although there is no minimum required GPA or required full time status, we do need to verify you are currently an active Rio Hondo College student with at least 1 unit enrolled.