Through the Husky Leadership Certificate, students identify, articulate and demonstrate their leadership growth and accomplishments during their undergraduate education.

Why get involved

• Take the much needed time to reflect on your prior experiences, an aspect of leadership education that is so valuable but often overlooked.
• Explore your core values, strengths, goals and development of leadership competencies.  
• Work with a faculty/staff or alumni mentor who will help you make meaning of your experiences and explore your future goals. 
• More effectively articulate the value of your skills and experiences to be more prepared for job interviews and scholarship or graduate school applications. 
• Develop a digital identity through an e-portfolio that showcases your skills and knowledge in creative and dynamic ways.

What to expect

Beginning in winter quarter and continuing into spring quarter, selected undergraduate students in their 4th/5th year:

• Meet with their assigned faculty/staff/alumni mentor twice per month from January-May.
• Enroll and complete the required assignments for the 2-credit Winter LEAD 490 (Leadership Certificate) online course which guides and supports the leadership e-portfolio development process. 
• Create and complete a leadership e-portfolio that demonstrates development in knowledge, values, abilities, and behaviors associated with socially responsible leadership. The Student Leadership Competencies are a foundation for self-assessment.
• Present highlights of your leadership e-portfolio during the Spring Celebration event in May. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Who is this program for?

The Husky Leadership Certificate is designed for undergraduate students in their senior & 5th year at the UW. Much of the work of the program is centered on reflection, and it is because of this that we target students who are in their final years at the university.

Who are the mentors that students are paired with? Can I pick my own mentor?

We have a fantastic pool of mentors that are from the UW faculty, staff, and alumni communities. Mentors submit interest forms and we get some information about their areas of expertise and personal passions before matching them with students. Students and mentors can indicate if they have a preferred match on their applications and we will do our best to meet that need.

What is the time commitment?

Throughout the course of HLC, students will spend their time on:

• LEAD 490 class (ascynchronous online course)
• Homework assignments
• Meetings with mentors (2 times a month is recommended)
• E-Portfolio development

In our feedback from previous cohorts, students spend an average of 20-40 hours outside of class on the HLC process.

How do I apply for the program?

Applications open annually in October and close in mid-November. The mentor/mentee matching process take place in December, and the program formally begins in January.

I want to participate in this program, but can’t/do not want to add another credit. What do I do? 

In this case, you are welcome to audit the course and should communicate this need to the HLC staff (uwhlc@uw.edu) once you’ve been accepted to the program. Students who audit the course are still required to complete all of the assignments that are a part of the course curriculum.

When do I enroll in the course?

Students who have been accepted to the program will be moved forward to the next phase of the application, which includes completing a commitment form. At that point, you will be emailed the add code for the course.

Does the certificate go on my transcript?

No. The Husky Leadership Certificate program is a recognition program but is not one that will go on your official university transcript. However, students who complete the program will be awarded a certificate along with a stole to wear at Commencement.

What does a leadership e-portfolio look like?

Visit this Husky Leadership Certificate gallery to check out some sample leadership e-portfolios.

I don’t know how to build a website. Will we get help with this?

Yes! During the winter quarter class, we will talk about how to make the website process as easy as possible and will present you with several different options for hosting sites.