Apply to SLA

Student Leadership Academy Spring 2027

As an SLA participant, you'll:

  • Attend Five Interactive Leadership Sessions: Build practical leadership skills through engaging workshops, the Student Leadership Challenge®, and peer Coaching Circles.

  • Complete a Personal Leadership Challenge: Set a meaningful leadership goal, put your skills into action, and track your growth throughout the semester.

  • Participate in a Mid-Semester Check-In: Meet one-on-one with Ms. Jordan to reflect on your progress, discuss challenges, and receive personalized support.

  • Collaborate on a Group Service Learning Project: Work with fellow SLA students to make a positive impact in the community while strengthening your teamwork and leadership skills.

  • Connect at the Spring Networking Mixer: Practice your networking skills and meet campus leaders and industry professionals who share your career interests.

SLA Spring 2026 Spring Networking Mixer Group Photo

Industry professionals engaging with SLA Spring 2026 Graduates

What will you Experience?

Discover what it means to lead through the SLC®, a research-based framework built around the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®: 

  • Model the Way
  • Inspire a Shared Vision
  • Challenge the Process
  • Enable Others to Act
  • Encourage the Heart

Through the SLC Leadership Inventory Assessment® and interactive workshops, you'll explore how everyday leadership behaviors can create positive change while strengthening practical skills you can use in college, your career, and your community.

You won't go through SLA alone!

Connect with a consistent group of 4–5 students in Leadership Coaching Circles, where you'll share experiences, reflect on challenges, celebrate progress, and encourage one another. You'll also have opportunities to facilitate discussions, learn from SLA alumni, and build the confidence to support and lead others.

Leadership is more than something you learn — it's something you practice! 

You'll identify a meaningful Leadership Challenge — a goal, opportunity, or area of growth that matters to you—and create a Leadership Challenge Action Plan with SMART goals. Throughout the semester, you'll work toward your challenge while receiving encouragement, reflection, and accountability from your Coaching Circle.

Put your leadership into action beyond the classroom! 

In partnership with SAC's Career Center Service Learning Program, you'll work alongside fellow SLA students to support a community need. Through service, you'll strengthen teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills while discovering how collaboration and shared purpose can create a lasting impact.

By the end of SLA, you won’t just be able to say you participated in a leadership program—you’ll have something that showcases how far you’ve come!

Throughout the Academy, you’ll build a Leadership Development Portfolio that captures your experiences, accomplishments, and personal growth. Through reflection, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your values, strengths, and goals while creating valuable tools you can use for jobs, internships, scholarships, transfer opportunities, campus involvement, and future leadership opportunities.

Your next opportunity could start with a conversation! 

Wrap up your SLA experience at the Spring Networking Mixer, where you'll connect with campus leaders and industry professionals invited specifically to align with your major and career interests. Gain valuable career insights, receive professional advice, and build meaningful connections that can support your future goals.

Practice building authentic professional relationships while encouraging fellow SLA students, introducing peers into conversations, and creating opportunities for one another. Discover how meaningful connections can open doors to new opportunities and help you take the next step toward your career goals.

Enrollment Status

  • Must be enrolled in at least 1 credit at Santa Ana College or be enrolled in SAC Continuing Education. 
    Academic Achievement
  • Must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. First-semester at SAC students have a default 4.0 GPA.

Compliance with College Policies

  • Applicants must be currently enrolled at Santa Ana College.
  • It is recommended that students work to remove any academic or financial holds from their account before applying.
  • Students should maintain good standing with the Student Advocacy and Accountability Office. Students must adhere to the behavioral standards outlined in the Student Handbook. Failure to align with these standards may result in removal from the program. 

Apply For SLA Spring 2027

SLA Spring 2027 Program Dates​​

Model the Way challenges students to identify their core values and lead through actions that reflect those values. Understanding Your Leadership Style and Time Management builds on this Practice by helping students recognize how they naturally lead, identify areas for growth, and develop habits that align their daily actions with their priorities. Together, students learn that effective leadership begins with self-awareness, intentional choices, and consistently modeling the behaviors they want to see in others.

Inspire a Shared Vision challenges students to imagine a meaningful future and inspire others to work toward a shared purpose. Mastering the Art of Effective Communication builds on this Practice by helping students clearly articulate their ideas, communicate with purpose, and connect their vision to the interests and aspirations of others. Together, students learn that inspiring others requires more than sharing a vision—it requires listening, building understanding, and helping others see how they can contribute.

Challenge the Process encourages students to question existing approaches, seek opportunities for improvement, and take initiative to create positive change. The Strategic Decision Making workshop builds on this Practice by helping students evaluate options, consider risks, make informed decisions, and adapt when challenges arise. Together, students learn how to turn new ideas into thoughtful action, embrace experimentation, and view setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth.

Enable Others to Act emphasizes building trust, fostering collaboration, and empowering others to contribute their strengths. Navigating Conflict with Confidence and Skill builds on this Practice by helping students navigate disagreements, understand different perspectives, and resolve challenges constructively. Together, students learn that effective collaboration requires open communication, mutual respect, and the ability to work through conflict while strengthening relationships and maintaining shared goals.

Encourage the Heart emphasizes recognizing individual contributions, celebrating accomplishments, and creating a sense of belonging. Building Powerful Networks for Success builds on this Practice by helping students develop authentic professional relationships. Students will put these behaviors into action at the Spring Networking Mixer by supporting fellow SLA participants, recognizing one another’s strengths, introducing peers to professionals, and intentionally including others in conversations. Together, students learn that meaningful networking is not just about creating opportunities for themselves—it’s also about uplifting others, building confidence, and opening doors for one another.

TBD

Put your networking skills into action! Connect with campus leaders and industry professionals, practice your elevator pitch, and support fellow SLA students as you build relationships that can help shape your next steps.