Home » Leadership Learning Community

The Leadership Curriculum


The largest part of the Leadership Journey is the academic aspect. This experience is designed to enhance your knowledge of leadership and your ability to lead in today's multicultural and quickly changing world. As part of this Learning Community, students will enroll in two classes each semester.

Fall Semester (6 hours)

Our Freshman Seminar course is an orientation to college, but it's also an introduction to leadership. Our seminar requires out-of-class involvement in community service and participation in campus leadership activities.

The two textbooks we will be using for UCOL 1200 are:

  • Komives, Susan; Lucas, Nance; and McMahon, Timothy. Exploring Leadership. 2nd ed. San Franciso: Jossey-Bass, 2007.
  • Nazario, Susan. Enrique's Journey. New York: Random House, 2006.

Spring Semester (6 hours)

COMM 3136 is an in-depth examination of ethical leadership. Ethical and leadership theories learned in class are then applied to a comprehensive service project where students must demonstrate their skills and knowledge.

To view sample course syllabi select the above links.

Disclaimer: The syllabi for UCOL 1200 and COMM 3136 are from past years and assignments will change year-to-year. However, the syllabi are attached to give a general picture of what the class will be like.

Leadership Instructor

For both UCOL 1200 and COMM 3136, Michael Denton will be the primary instructor.

Michael Denton has been working with student leaders for over fourteen years. He has served as advisor to student hall councils, student judicial boards, and supervised many student leaders. He has worked professionally at four different universities in the southeast as a university housing officer, with a career focused on helping freshman students. In 2002, Mr. Denton began teaching a leadership course for freshmen and has been teaching leadership ever since.

When asked why he teaches leadership, Mr. Denton replied, “For me, building leaders is a way of making a better tomorrow for all of humanity.” Furthermore, he enjoys the connection that teaching gives him directly with students and believes in the capacity of all individuals to lead if they choose to do so.

In addition to his work with the Leadership Journey LC, Mr. Denton works in the Office of Housing and Residence Life developing first-year and second-year student programs and coordinating academic programs for the department, in particular with the various learning communities.

Mr. Denton serves as a lead facilitator for Leadershape, Inc., a national non-profit organization that teaches leadership to college students. He is also a trained Strengths Performance Coach and believes in strengths-based living and leadership. On campus, Mr. Denton also serves as UNC Charlotte Safe Zone trainer.

In his spare time, Mr. Denton, a fifth degree black belt in the martial art of Aikido, teaches the art as a way of contributing to others, self-improvement, and relaxation. He also volunteers his time in various capacities and has served on the board for a local telephone help line. He is an avid reader, movie lover, and pop-culture aficionado.

 

Mr. Denton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Science degree in Counselor Education with an emphasis in Student Development, both from Mississippi State University.