West Virginia Universitys minor in leadership studies, previously offered through the Office of Academic Affairs, is now under the management of the Division of Public Administration in the School of Applied Social Sciences in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.

On June 30, 2007, the Leadership Studies Program will welcome Dr. Larry Cote as its founding director. Dr. Cote, who has had a long and distinguished career in higher education, currently serves as WVU ’s associate provost for Extension and Public Service and director of the West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. He also teaches a course in the Leadership Studies Program and will continue on the faculty of the WVU Extension Service.

Dr. Cote will dedicate full-time leadership to the program after a new associate provost for Extension and Public Service is hired.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the Division of Public Administration,”said L. Christopher Plein, assistant dean of the School of Applied Social Sciences and chair of the Division of Public Administration.”Our students are privileged to be able to benefit from the talent and experience that Larry Cote will bring to the program.

We began talking about the possibilities of Larry joining us nearly a year ago, and I’m delighted that this has finally come to fruition,Dr. Plein said.He will play a crucial role in making certain that undergraduate students from a variety of majors have the opportunity to learn more about leadership and its contexts.”

The 18-credit-hour leadership studies minor is designed to appeal to students from across the curriculum who are interested in developing leadership skills for their future careers. Students take 9 hours of core classes as well as 9 upper-division hours outside of Leadership Studies that complement their major. Courses are offered in the traditional classroom setting and in the applied context through service learning and other activities.

Plein said,”Through this format, students gain knowledge from both hands-on experience and through a solid grounding in theory.”

Instructors and guest lecturers for courses will include core University faculty as well as individuals who have held positions of leadership in large and dynamic organizations. Past instructors include Gerald Lang, WVU ’s provost.

We view this program as one of the many WVU initiatives that are helping to build the next generation of leaders in West Virginia,said WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr.

In addition to the leadership studies minor, the Division of Public Administration is also home to the master in public administration (MPA) at WVU , to the MPA program delivered in Charleston in collaboration with Marshall University and to the new master of legal studies, which is delivered entirely online.

For more information, contact Phil Hancock of the Leadership Studies Program at 304-293-5691, ext 3357 or phancock@mix.wvu.edu .