Digital Badge Opportunity
Calling all graduate and professional students!
Born out of a vision to enhance graduate and professional students’ understanding of leadership and emotional intelligence, this digital badge is designed just for you! Co-created and facilitated by Jackie Okao, a Ph.D. student in the Wilder School, this experience offers graduate and professional students the opportunity to build greater self-awareness and grow as impactful leaders.
Through self-assessments, reflections, and an interactive workshop, you’ll gain valuable insight into your unique leadership approach and emotional intelligence, learning how to apply these skills in academic, research, and professional settings. Whether you’re leading a team, managing a project, or preparing for your next career step, this badge will empower you to lead with purpose and confidence.
Recipients of this digital badge are Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Graduate and Professional Students who have developed a foundational understanding of their unique Leadership Style and Emotional Intelligence. Depending on staff availability, learners are onboarded every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the academic year."
- Complete two self-reflection exercises—one focused on leadership style and the other on emotional intelligence (2 hours total).
- Take both a leadership style assessment and an emotional intelligence assessment to deepen self-awareness (2 hours total).
- Review a presentation prompt and submit a written response (1 hour), and read an assigned article followed by a related response prompt (1 hour).
- Participate in a 1-hour interactive workshop/seminar facilitated by Dr. Noel Cortez, Assistant Dean of Students. During this session, learners will engage in discussion, apply key concepts, and connect with peers to enhance their understanding of leadership and emotional intelligence.
Based on industry knowledge and best practices, here are just some of the key skills you can expect to develop through this experience:
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
- Leadership
- Leadership Development
- Leadership Psychology
- Leadership Studies
- Leading Teams
- Reflective Practice
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Evaluation
- Self-Management
This digital badge offers an opportunity to not only explore these essential leadership competencies but also to apply them in real-world academic and professional contexts. Whether you're aiming to lead more effectively, build stronger teams, or better understand yourself and others, this experience is designed for you.
Seminar Dates:
Once you have completed your work, you are invited to attend a workshop/seminar to discuss what you learned and connect with other graduate and professional students to apply what you have learned. You must attend a seminar to earn the digital badge.
Please take note of the following seminar dates:
| Date | Time | Link |
| September 24 | 5-6 pm | https://meet.google.com/tyy-suvs-sqp |
| October 1 | 5-6 pm | https://meet.google.com/tyy-suvs-sqp |
| October 5 | 5-6 pm | https://meet.google.com/tyy-suvs-sqp |
| October 7 | 5-6 pm | https://meet.google.com/tyy-suvs-sqp |
| October 15 | 5-6 pm | https://meet.google.com/tyy-suvs-sqp |
| November 11 | 6-7 pm | https://meet.google.com/tyy-suvs-sqp |