A.P.P.E.A.L.S. Leadership Development Program

A.P.P.E.A.L.S. is a leadership development module developed by the Chaplain with input from other staff throughout the university.  The program is based on Servant Leadership with a ‘transformational leadership’ emphasis and was established in 2000. 

A.P.P.E.A.L.S. is designed to get students to understand that transformation begins with self and in order to effect change in the immediate environment and surrounding you often must take a look at self and make the necessary changes so that you may have impact.  The program teaches the principles of visioning with a purpose so that you create transforming visions and how to target your visions. The final part of the program is to then go out and touch the lives of others so that you make a difference in the world.

 The program is divided into two components, the first consist of an Intensive weekend training in which participants are involved in an off campus intensive weekend training retreat. Following the training retreat the participants spend 8 to 10 weeks in an east Austin school (public or charter) and teach the principles to middle and/or high school students. Schools that we have engaged in this program are Kealing Middle School and Austin Can Academy, both in east Austin.