“I think LEAD Scholars Academy is such an important program for students since leadership is important for everyone, no matter what one’s major or future career choice may be,â€� says Stacey Malaret, director of the program. “Leadership will always help students stand out from their peers in a positive way. More importantly, leadership development allows our students to lead others at Â鶹ԭ´´ effectively so that they too can be transformed into leaders in their own right.â€�

The academy was established in 1995 and this year has about 1,000 students engaged in leadership experiences, civic projects, student organizations, research and volunteer opportunities in the community. Incoming high school students apply for the first-time-in-college program and commit to a two-year leadership-development program and classes. Transfers and students in upper classes participate in U-LEAD, semester-long programs that focus on leadership tracks. Other programs offered include a virtual-leadership academy and the Clinton Global Initiative University, which each year hosts a meeting to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges.

“Our motto in LEAD is ‘To Learn, To LEAD, and To Serve.’”

“Our motto in LEAD is ‘To Learn, To LEAD, and To Serve.’ By combining the academic knowledge of leadership studies in the classroom, the opportunity to lead through high-impact co-curricular activities and serve others in the community this allows Â鶹ԭ´´ to create the best well-rounded students,â€� Malaret says. “By having trained leaders, who also have a social-change mindset, it allows our community partners to thrive and receive the help they need to make Central Florida a better place to live.â€�

A key part of the academy is volunteer service, with students donating more than 18,000 hours of work last year.

The biggest project is the Knights Helping Knights Pantry, which was started by LEAD Scholars and this month celebrated its 10th anniversary. The pantry last year distributed nearly 70,000 pounds of food, clothing, cleaning supplies and other products to students in need.

Other LEAD Scholars have started programs such as , which provides health screenings to Orlando’s homeless population, and Green Greeks, an effort to educate students about the importance of harvesting produce locally to help end food insecurity.

LEAD Scholars serve on an alternative break trip each spring (a group is currently in New Orleans) and various other nonprofits in Central Florida, and one first-year LEAD Scholar was just approved to install a at the Recreation and Wellness Center’s leisure pool to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

“Students come up with service project ideas in many different ways. They are able to brainstorm ideas in class, through casual conversations in our office, etc.,� Malaret says. “We help them with resources to allow them to become social change agents on campus and assist in mentoring them along the way.�

The director says LEAD Scholars is unique in Florida because of the hybrid approach with curricular and co-curricular programs to develop leadership.

“We like to take the best of both worlds and combine them into one leadership program so that students are able to learn about leadership inside the classroom, then practice it outside of the classroom through service-learning and other high impact co-curricular learning opportunities, creating a well-rounded leadership learning opportunity.�

Andrew Aboujaoude, a third-year biomedical sciences major who plans to attend medical school after he completes his bachelor’s degree, is the only Â鶹ԭ´´ student to receive the fellowship.

“I’m really happy that I’m getting to represent Â鶹ԭ´´ from a civic engagement perspective,â€� said Aboujaoude, 21. “We really do a lot of good things at Â鶹ԭ´´ and we have a lot of great students, faculty and administrators who are invested in helping the underserved in the community.â€�

The fellowship is awarded by Campus Compact, a national coalition of more than 1,000 college and university presidents committed to improving community life and to educating students for civic and social responsibility. It’s named for Frank Newman, one of the founders of Campus Compact. Aboujaoude was nominated by Â鶹ԭ´´ President John C. Hitt.

“Andrew is a role model, educator, and friendly person who students are drawn to. He has jumped into involvement on campus from day one and I can only imagine what he will accomplish in the next year with the support of the fellowship,â€� said Stacey Malaret, director of ±«°ä¹ó’s LEAD Scholars Academy.

After volunteering during food shares with homeless people in downtown Orlando, Aboujaoude learned that hypertension is a leading cause of death among the homeless population. He, along with fellow LEAD Scholars Academy students Alexis Ghersi and Jennifer Carvel, set out to address the problem. They founded Hearts for the Homeless Orlando, an organization that screens homeless people for hypertension and other health problems and refers them to free clinics in the area.

After pitching the idea to a gathering of young leaders hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative University, a social venture organization called The Resolution Project gave them startup funding.

Aboujaoude has worked with students at other universities to expand the program beyond Orlando. Students at the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of South Florida are in the process of launching their own Hearts for the Homeless chapters.

The Newman Fellowship, which runs from August 2017 to May 2018, provides fellows with mentorship, networking with other fellowship recipients, and virtual and in-person learning opportunities, including a conference in Boston in November. Aboujaoude believes it will help Hearts for the Homeless spread further.

“I see it as an opportunity to springboard and launch Hearts for the Homeless in other states,� he said. “I want to do whatever I can for the organization.�

Two months ago, Aboujaoude was one of 21 students to be inducted into the Order of Pegasus, the university’s most prestigious student award.