2016 Emerging Leaders Academy Recap
June 9 through 12th, 2016 – Kappa Alpha Order held its annual Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA) at Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA. Over 220 KA undergraduate attendees represented 70 undergraduate chapters of the Order. A total of 48 KAs arrived a day early and completed the Stewards of the Order program, gaining a deeper understanding of the symbolism and philosophy of our ritual. Of the ELA attendees, 38 Crusade Commanders completed the Crusade RoundTable track to help them understand and implement KA’s premier leadership development program.
ELA seeks to educate upcoming and future undergraduate leaders on various aspects of chapter operations and leadership. ELA also gives the undergraduate attendees to visit the Kappa Alpha Order National Administrative Office, the birthplace of KA and other sites significant to Kappa Alpha Order including the final resting place of some of our founders and past national leadership.
ELA attendees heard from featured speakers present in large group facilitation, experts in small breakout sessions, and facilitated small group discussions in “Mock Chapter Groups.” Some of the featured speakers included Luke E. Murphy, retired Army Staff Sargent, Donald R. Gardner, retired Major General with the U.S. Marine Corps, and Dave W. “Buzz” Baker, sports anchor, reporter and account executive.
Along with the numerous educational sessions, attendees to ELA will participate in community service projects throughout Lexington, Virginia and Rockbridge County in KA’s Project Outreach Initiative. Service projects included landscaping at Project Horizon and the Rockbridge SPCA, assisting in the Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee, and painting at the Mountain City Masonic Lodge #67. A total of 670 community service hours were completed and logged by attendees to ELA.
View photos from the 2016 Emerging Leaders Academy on KA’s Facebook Page!
