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Lee University hosted a Gallup Seminar on Feb. 14-15 titled “A Day in the Life of a Strengths-based Campus.”

Presented by Lee’s Center for Calling & Career, the seminar brought Gallup representatives from all over the nation including Vice President of the Education Practice of Gallup Mark Pogue along with Lee faculty. The representatives joined to discuss the effects of incorporating the Strengths immersion process.

“We are privileged that our strengths program is so successfully integrated that they wanted to feature Lee,” said Stacy Ballinger, director of Center for Calling & Career said.

Over 20 universities were represented at the seminar for implementing the Strengths instrument.

Thursday was split into two tracks of education for beginner Strengths users and advanced users. On Friday all participants joined for breakout sessions for the featured programs to discuss the application process.

Residential Life, Student Development, Service Learning, Academic Advising, Global Perspective/Transfers/Select Populations, Gateway, Classroom Integration and Career Services were the areas of interest for the participants.

On Friday, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Carolyn Dirksen spoke about Lee’s experience with Gallup and how the Strengths assessment has been helpful for both faculty and students. Dirksen noted that the most important aspect was the community that Strengths based learning helps encourage.

“I think anything that helps students connect, that helps them see that there are other people like them, that’s what helps them succeed and find a home here,” said Dirksen.

Director of Programming and Career Development for Gallup Kyle Robinson was in charge of the certification session.

Robinson shared examples of what works and “how Strengths can be implemented in the future.”
Pogue identified the Strengths assessment as a potentially helpful tool in determining students’ needs on campus and in the real world, with options that can help guide students to their careers. Pogue said that the program not only offers an opportunity for students to feel engaged with their education but also to feel assured as they graduate and continue on with their lives.

“I want all the students to go out into the world and feel confident about themselves,” Pogue said, “to feel a sense of hope.”

For more information on Gallup Strengths visit http://strengths.gallup.com.

For more information about Lee’s Center for Calling & Career contact 423-614-8630.