CCRI Student Government Presidents join elite college leadership program

July 29, 2019

Community College of Rhode Island students and Student Government Presidents Davila Jackley of Providence, RI, and Andrew Lee of Coventry, RI, have been selected to participate in College Leadership Rhode Island (CLRI), a year-long program designed to prepare students for life beyond the classroom.

CLRI is a subdivision of Leadership Rhode Island, a nationally-recognized community leadership development organization, and is modeled after its core program for business and community leaders. Each year, the CLRI Selection Committee chooses 50 to 75 participants from its pool of applicants and nominations for the annual, tuition-free college program based on the students’ personal leadership accomplishments and future potential in addition to a personal interview.

“We are so proud of Davila and Andrew for their participation in College Leadership Rhode Island,” said CCRI President Meghan Hughes. “As pillars of our Student Government, they display exemplary leadership skills and are ideal ambassadors for the Community College of Rhode Island. This journey will enrich their college experience and enhance their ability to lead us into the 2019-20 academic year as Student Government Presidents.”

The goal of CLRI is to inspire, educate and engage a diverse group of emerging young adult leaders as they transition from college to a career in the workforce. Through experiential learning, students explore careers in the nonprofit, private, public, and philanthropic sectors, while developing soft skills and leadership competencies for the 21st century. The program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and networks necessary to develop their professional lives and build a future as engaged Rhode Island citizens. According to CLRI, 85 percent of jobs are obtained through relationships, many of which are provided through participation in the college program.

Jackley, a Promise Plus student graduating in May of 2020, is a double major in Political Science and Communications and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society for two-year colleges. As President of the Liston Campus, her goal is to increase student engagement outside of the classroom by creating more clubs in addition to working toward improving the retention rate among current students. She plans to transfer to a four-year institution following graduation and pursue a career in public service.

Before enrolling at CCRI, Jackley graduated from the Academy for Career Exploration under the school’s Curriculum Director, Luke Driver, who is also a Strengths Coach for Leadership Rhode Island tasked with providing professional development services for more than 75 companies and organizations throughout the state. In addition, she took English courses in her first year at CCRI under adjunct professor Mary Ellen Lynch, also a Strengths Coach at LRI, who provided additional insight on the benefits of the college program.

“The networking aspect of College Leadership Rhode Island is what drew me to the program,” Jackley said. “In my first year at CCRI, I managed to build a lot of connections at each campus. This will help me enhance my network even more. I’m also looking forward to enhancing my leadership skills and discovering new viewpoints on how to become a better leader, which will benefit me in my role as Student Government President.”

Lee, a Rhode Island Promise Plus student and Knight Campus President for the 2019-20 academic year, is a General Business major with an eye toward an associate degree in Business Administration. He is currently a data analytics intern for the Rhode Island Department of Revenue in addition to his roles at CCRI as an orientation leader and peer tutor through the college’s The Tutoring Center.

Among his goals as President, Lee plans to improve student engagement on campus through the inception of an LGBTQ alliance club while building stronger relationships with student veterans and developing a community garden where CCRI students can grow produce that can be distributed at the college’s Food Pantry or other outlets in Rhode Island. Lee graduates in the spring of 2020.

“I’m very excited to be challenged through College Leadership Rhode Island,” Lee said. “As Student Government President, this is the right opportunity to hone my leadership skills. I love how the program represents Rhode Island. Its goal is to build leaders in Rhode Island and work toward the betterment of the state. I am also interested in the people I will meet on this journey. College Leadership Rhode Island has a huge alumni network, and a lot of very influential people have gone through the program.”

The Community College of Rhode Island, New England’s largest community college, enrolls nearly 20,000 students and an additional 8,500 individuals in workforce development programs and adult education courses annually. CCRI also provides transportation education and certification to 14,000 Rhode Islanders each year. Classes and programs are offered at CCRI’s full-service campuses in Warwick, Lincoln, Providence and Newport, online and in partnership with the Westerly Education Center. For more information, visit www.ccri.edu.

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