What is IDEAL? 
IDEAL is a freshman-only program that teaches students to become well-rounded leaders. This program also encourages students to grow stronger in their individual leadership styles and provides the opportunity to work with other unique leaders. This program is the perfect opportunity to get community service hours, hear guest speakers, get involved with organizations across campus, make connections, and grow both personally and professionally. Overall, the IDEAL Leadership program aims to nurture leaders with integrity who also understand the importance of empowering others.
Why was IDEAL created?
IDEAL Freshmen Leadership was created to provide tools, mold, and create a select group of incoming freshmen into successful and ethical leaders that would be great assets to the community of UCA throughout their time here. These skills would be meant to create strong and positive leaders who go beyond IDEAL but into other organizations on campus. This diverse group of leaders is meant to go across campus to make positive impacts on other organizations and the UCA community as a whole. These leaders are taught the importance of not only leadership but also servant leadership. Within this program, these students are taught communication, networking, conflict resolution, and ethical decision-making skills. This is to encourage the students to step up and not be “afraid” to be leaders when opportunity calls.
IDEAL’s Mission
- set the example as compassionate servant leaders by emphasizing dedication, ethics, accomplishment, and service;
- to further the leadership skills of our members, enhancing our lives and those of the greater community; and
- to strive to always leave our place better than we found it, thus becoming “I.D.E.A.L.” leaders.
I’m interested, what now?
Complete the IDEAL Interest form! We will keep you updated with all events when the semester starts.
Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort will open on August 1st!