SEED
SEED is a leadership development program for first-year students at Georgia Tech. We take 20 students on a year-long journey of self-discovery and leadership development. We do this by challenging them to get out of their comfort zone and grow as people and leaders. We do this by hosting weekly events that challenge students in a variety of ways.
Through SEED, students have ran their first marathon, broken Guinness World Records, and even open up about their sexuality for the first time.
As Seek Discomfort Club grew, I wanted to create a pipeline of students who could lead the club and continue to grow it for years to come. I also acknowledged that the most difficult parts of running Seek Discomfort Club were getting high attendance at events and finding the funding to afford high quality events.
Combined with the understanding that first-year students are looking for opportunities that will provide them a memorable college experience, I decided to create a leadership development program for first-year students that would challenge them to get out of their comfort zone and grow as people and leaders.SEED was born out of this idea. We were fortunate enough to partner with Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) at Georgia Tech which provided us with funding, a staff advisor, and countless hours of support and guidance.
SEEDlings, as we call them, are selected through a competitive application process. Around 20 students are selected each year and are mentored by 4-5 upperclassmen.We then host weekly meetings centered around leadership topics, and weekly events that challenge students to get out of their comfort zone. One of the most popular parts of our weekly meetings were the Grapevine Talks where each week, a SEEDling would talk about any topic of their choosing for about 5 minutes.
SEEDlings asked us not to tell them what the weekly events were until they arrived, which was a testament to the trust that our community had, and the growth mindset that they had developed. We did a variety of events that contained exposure to the areas of social, physical, and mental discomfort, as well as targeted teamwork and leadership development.
Some of our most popular events included Toastmasters, Sharing our Biggest Insecurities with Strangers, and backpacking. Outside of our weekly meetings and events, we also hosted informal hangouts, office hours, and one-on-one meetings with SEEDlings to make sure that they were getting the most out of the program.
Our inaugural year culminated in a multiple day effort to break the Guinness World Record for the Longest Hopscotch Game. We successfully chalked and hopped our 4.2 mile course, and the event was not only featured on Georgia Tech social media, but also on CNN, Morning Brew, and CBC Radio. Leadership has since changed hands multiple times, but the program continues to grow and impact the lives of first-year students and SEEDlings have gone on to become leaders in SEED, Seek Discomfort Club, and beyond.
