November 11, 2017

Youth Leadership Conferences

Mason is excited to partner with the following student leadership conferences to offer outstanding high school and university scholars the opportunity to participate in the following experiences for elective college credit.

  • Envision Career & Leadership Programs
  • Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Program (HOBY)
  • Washington Journalism and Media Conference
  • Washington Youth Summit on the Environment

These programs have been approved by our faculty, and students who qualify can receive college credit for “Special Topics in Leadership.” Scholars enrolled in 4- to 8-day programs earn one (1) college credit, while programs that run 9 days or longer are eligible for two (2) college credits. This is elective Mason credit and generally transfers to other four-year colleges and universities, but we recommend that students and parents check with the college/university they are applying to or attending if they are interested in how the credit would apply.

General Information

How are students selected?

Students are selected to represent their school and state through our academic partnerships. Nominations may be made by high school educators or students are identified by George Mason University through information we receive about students interests and/or academic ability through college entrance exams, or through data from NRCCUA (National Research Center for College and University Administrators), which conduct high school interest/career surveys. Educators are invited to fill out a nomination form for any of our student leadership opportunities and students will be contacted to confirm their nomination.

How are students evaluated?

The course, Special Topics in Leadership is a “Pass/Fail” course and students are evaluated based on their experiential learning opportunities throughout the week. Conference faculty will monitor their active participation in simulations, contributions to discussions and demonstration of leadership and critical thinking skills in group and individual settings. Students will receive feedback on their progress throughout the conference.

How do I enroll in Mason college credit?

Scholars must “opt in” and apply for the elective credit by contacting the conference Office of Admissions and completing the online enrollment application, as well as answering the required questions on the Student Information Form. This must be done no later than the end of the second day of the program session. Students enrolling for credit must be capable of doing college-level work and have completed the 9th grade at the time of the program. Students are asked to provide a self-reported GPA and complete the required questions and student leadership essay prior to conference participation. Tuition is $100.00 for one (1) credit and $200.00 for two (2) credits. Payment will be made to the specific conference. Students who do not meet the requirements for college credit will be refunded the credit tuition amount