Join the Blue Chip Leadership Experience to distinguish yourself from your peers and build career skills skills. Our students build lifelong friendships and hone their leadership skills on campus, in the classroom, and in the community. By the time their careers start, Blue Chip Leadership Experience graduates are pushing boundaries, solving problems, and excelling as leaders.
Why join Blue Chip Leadership Experience? It’s where you can:
- Build your community and meet other Wildcats.
- Learn through service and action through internships and experiential learning.
- Build in-demand skills like leadership, teamwork, communication, and problem solving.
- Prepare as a professional to perfect your resume, interview skills, and your elevator pitch.
Connect – Grow – Excel
Join Blue Chip Leadership Experience!
“The experiences I had and the friendships I gained are some of the most valuable pieces of my college experience.”
Norbert Rwamunkunyu, 2019
Earn a Minor in Leadership Studies and Practice
In the classroom, Blue Chip Leadership Experience students earn a minor in Leadership Studies & Practice. In their courses, our students gain skills to address complex societal issues as effective, engaged, and ethical leaders. Compatible with any major, the Leadership Studies & Practice minor teaches our students how to effectively lead a team in any career.
Blue Chip First-Year Experience
Fall
Class: EDL 297 A: Topics in Leadership: Your intro to leadership and career development course. Meets for 50 minutes per week.
3 Fall Signature Events!
Spring
Class: EDL 293A: Leadership & Involve: work with your team and a community partner to complete a service project. Meets for 50 minutes per week.
2 Spring Signature events!
Blue Chip Years 2-4
Years 2-4 will prepare you to:
- Become an Inclusive Leader who Promotes Positive Change
- Continue your Personal and Professional Development
- Engage with the Community
- Apply your Leadership Skills
Time Commitment: 3-5 hours/week
All events are scheduled well in advance and you will be given plenty of notice of the dates and times so you can plan accordingly.
Year 2 – LEARN:
You will learn advanced leadership concepts and apply them to create positive social change.
Highlights:
- Fall – Design Thinking for Social Change – Three-credit course focusing on learning how to create social change using design thinking. This is an interactive course that requires participation and engagement from the students to maximize learning experience.
- Spring – Take a 3-credit leadership course to expand learning:
- Dive deeper into leadership for social change
- Prepare to become a future team leader in the following fall semester by learning about peer mentorship and facilitation strategies
- Learn more about leadership strategies
- Learn the five practices of exemplary leadership (7WK online course)
Year 3 – PRACTICE:
Apply the leadership skills and knowledge you have developed while creating positive change.
Highlights:
- Equiss Retreat – Attend a three-day social justice retreat to explore concepts surrounding identity, inclusive leadership, allyship, and liberation. Create a personal plan for acting on social change as an inclusive leader.
- Professional Development – Participate in activities/workshops that focus on networking, building a competitive resume, and interview skills
- Leadership Internship – Apply the leadership skills that you have learned by participating in an internship within Leadership Programs.
Year 4 – LEAD:
You will apply the skills and knowledge you learned in Blue Chip to a large-scale community service project. Year 4 is designed to help you develop the professional and life skills needed for a smooth transition from college into life after Arizona.
Highlights:
- Service Learning Project
- Professional Development
- Leadership Course (3 credits)
- Senior Capstone (EDL 498: Capstone (1 credit)
“Blue Chip has been the foundation of my college experience, and it has given me a tight-knit, supportive community throughout my educational journey.”
Penelope Mangaoang, 2024
How much will it cost?
Each year of Blue Chip Leadership Experience costs $250. Fees are charged to your university account at the Bursar’s Office and can be paid in the same manner that you pay tuition or other fees.
Fee Waivers:
Blue Chip students who demonstrate financial need can apply for a fee waiver by completing the Fee Waiver Application. The fee waiver program is available to students who need assistance paying for between 25% and 100% of the $250 First-Year Experience fee. The Fee Waiver form will open on July 10th and close on August 10th. Only students who have enrolled in Blue Chip by July 10th will be eligible to apply for the fee waiver.
Payment Plans:
If Blue Chip students would like to pay $125 per semester for two semesters, they can enroll in the payment plan by filling out the Blue Chip Payment Plan Form. Students enrolled in the payment plan will still make their payments through their Bursar’s Account via UAccess.arizona.edu.
Blue Chip Leadership Award
In order to support the mission and vision of Blue Chip Leadership Experience and the University of Arizona, we offer the Blue Chip Leadership Award to strengthen the number of equity-deserving students in Blue Chip. This scholarship covers the Blue Chip Leadership Experience program fees for students from Arizona. While the parameters of our equity deserving population may evolve from year-to-year, equity-deserving students include first-generation, low-income, and students of color. Wildcats who bring their true, authentic selves make our organization stronger, and together we can Connect, Grow, and Excel as learners and leaders!
Our selection process relies on and reflects the demographic information that each incoming class provides and may change from year to year. If you are an equity-deserving student and have questions about this award, please contact us at bluechip@arizona.edu.
The “Blue Chip Leadership Award” is a non-renewable award and can only be used for Blue Chip Leadership: First-Year Experience. This $250 award is non-transferable.
Accepting Your Blue Chip Leadership Award:
Award notifications are sent via email and can be accepted via the Enrollment Form linked in that email. Due to limited funding, students are encouraged to accept their award and sign-up for Blue Chip promptly.
“I remember I originally signed up for Blue Chip because I wanted to make some friends and learn about leadership. I got way more out of the program than just friendship and leadership skills. I was surrounded by people who were open minded, accepting, and valued school. Most importantly, Blue Chip opened my eyes and changed how I viewed my world.”
-Korlilynn Iha
Questions?
Please contact us at bluechip@arizona.edu
