TULIP

Texas Undergraduate Leadership Program

Creating the Next Generation of Leaders

What is Tulip?

The Texas Undergraduate Leadership Program (TULIP) is a rigorous, three-year interdisciplinary program designed to inspire and support undergraduate students in the classroom, on campus, and in community leadership roles.

The program will:

• Provide young women with leadership skills, especially those from underserved communities
• Offer opportunities to benefit from the experiences of successful female mentors
• Offer first-hand experiences in leadership through service learning in supportive community settings
• Bring young women together in female environments that foster support and community in a diverse group across discipline
• TULIP will be open to any sophomore female undergraduate, with new students accepted each fall. The program provides a $2,500 per semester stipend to reduce the economic strain of attending college and encourage the student's commitment to the program.

Timeline for Student Participation in TULIP

 (The inaugural year will be students entering their sophomore year)
I.  First academic year  (sophomore year)
A. Fall Semester
1. Objective: Participate in activities that encourage group cohesion and receive leadership training with specific preparation for internship/service project

• Weekend retreat with facilitated team building exercises designed to encourage group cohesion and help make the students’ transition from high school to college life easier.
• Attend special seminars/meetings titled “Diversity and Leadership in a Global Environment.”

B. Spring Semester
2. Objective: Engage learning into practice through internship/service project and community mentor

• Intern with a nonprofit  (or other approved) organization or work in a service project
• Work with a community mentor (a UT alumnae or CWGS supporter)

II.  Second year
A. Fall Semester
3. Objective: Receive training in preparation to conduct a research, creative, or service project concerning women leadership, both professionally and/or in the community, through faculty mentors, activities, and seminars

• Participate in a Research and Thesis/Essay Colloquium seminars/meetings
• Assign a faculty mentor (CWGS affiliate) to students by teams or individually, or student may continue to work with community mentor to help begin work on a project proposal

B. Spring Semester
4. Objective: Work in teams or individually to conduct project and write an essay or thesis (varies upon project and academic discipline of student) and present their findings or work

• Conduct a study, research project, or creative project and write a thesis/essay (option to work in teams)
• Present their thesis/essay at a final thesis/essay colloquium (and in the WGS Graduate Student Conference of the following year)

III. Final year
A. Fall Semester
5. Objective: Participate in activities and special seminar/meetings for further leadership training     and apply leadership learning and training into practice by serving as mentors to middle school     and high school students in the Austin area.

• Attend Community Leadership Seminars/meetings
• Students themselves will serve as mentors to young women in high school or middle school

B. Spring Semester
6. Objective: Apply and further develop leadership skills, learning, and training through     student’s initiative of planning and organizing a seminar as well as meetings, and other activities     for female high school students.  

• Students will organize a seminar, meetings, and activities for female high school students from around the state who are interested in pursuing Women’s and Gender Studies and are interested in becoming women leaders

Ongoing throughout all three years

• Participate in activities that encourage group cohesion
• Make on-site visits to educational, business, and cultural locations
• Evaluate own progress through self-reports and mentors’ assessments -- identify areas for improvement
• Students will be provided with opportunities to interact and participate in events that take place through the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies.  
• Students will have the opportunity to attend events and special invitation-only receptions with conference presenters, scholars, and performers on campus and in the Austin area.