Omega Phi Alpha was founded on the cardinal principles of friendship, leadership, and service. Any OPA member can easily speak about service projects they took part in and how much fun they had hanging out with their big and little sisters. But ask about leadership training and answers will fall across a wide spectrum.
A few years ago, OPA alumnae set out to create a program that would provide training for all sisters in the most underrepresented cardinal principle: leadership. This work is now known as the Leadership Development Program and has expanded to include six core values.
This program is for sisters who want to use these core values in college situations and beyond. Participants explore different aspects of leadership through the prism of the six core values. For collegiate sisters, it aims to bridge the gap between the academic and professional worlds. For both collegiate and alumnae sisters, the program builds effective leaders within the sorority and within their communities.
The Leadership Development Program has a class for each of the six core values: leadership, sisterhood, diversity, education, traditions, and service. Each consists of a workshop led by alumnae volunteers and online reflection exercises. To complete the requirements for each one, a sister participates in the workshop (either in-person or through a webinar) and must finish the online exercises in Schoology.com.
Active sisters who complete a core value can also help their chapter earn points in the Chapter Excellence Program. Sisters who complete the Leadership Development Program by finishing all six of the core values will receive special recognition.
Leadership (complete first)
Sisterhood
Diversity
Education
Traditions
Service
To participate in the Leadership Development program or to request a core value workshop for your chapter, please email leadteam@omegaphialpha.org.
Individual sisters should follow OPA’s social media for webinar announcements.
“I learned many surprising things while participating in the program. It allowed me to stop and take the time to be introspective and assess my leadership style and potential as a future leader.”–AW, Alpha Kappa 2016
“I used the qualities and characteristics of effective leaders that I learned about to help me identify people that I’d like to work with during job interviews.”–LD, Nu Alumna 2015