First Year Retreat

The Salem Leadership Connection (SLC) is a community outreach program in which Salem students are trained to speak with girls in the community from underrepresented backgrounds to encourage them to apply for and enroll in college. Students selected for the SLC participate in an intensive training program during the January Term that includes a weekend retreat addressing issues of diversity and inclusion. Students go in groups to speak to middle school and high school girls and to share information intended to demystify the college admissions and financial aid process for their families.

The Salem Leadership Connection has entered into a partnership with eGirls, a Winston-Salem area program for girls in middle schools and high schools who have been identified as at-risk for leaving school. The 400 students in the eGirls program include girls who are low-income and mostly from African American and Latino family backgrounds. The spring series of SLC visits with girls in local schools culminates in a one-day eGirls conference on campus at Salem College in April. eGirls' family members are invited to participate in a portion of the program.

First Year Leadership Training Day

The entire first-year class has the opportunity to participate in an intensive one-day leadership development program during the January Term. Expert leadership trainers from BB & T facilitate an interactive workshop designed to enhance awareness and skills related to successful communication and participation in our diverse and dynamic global environment.