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Rutgers School of Business – Camden

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BLDP Honors Certification

The Springboard to Leadership

The Rutgers School of Business–Camden Business Leader Development Program (BLDP) consists of both traditional coursework, as well as out-of-classroom opportunities for students to demonstrate active development of leadership skills and habits. Each of these opportunities carry a point value referred to as “leadership units.” In order to complete the BLDP Honors Certification, students must earn a total of 14 leadership units while enrolled in a Rutgers-Camden academic program.
  • Units must include both coursework-based opportunities and out-of-classroom opportunities, with out-of-classroom comprising at least 4 (four) units of the 14 total required units

Students must declare their intent to complete the Honors Certification before the beginning of their final semester (i.e. one semester before graduation). In addition, they must meet with the director to confirm and plan the activities leading to completion. Students should fill out a draft of the verification form and bring it to the certification meeting with the BLDP Director one semester prior to graduation.

Coursework-Based Opportunities

Potential earned units: three
Every seminar includes:
  • Special access to business executives. At least 50% of the course will be comprised of executive involvement
  • Development of communication and interpersonal skills
  • In-depth speaker insights into career planning and career management, with an emphasis on networking and other career survival skills
  • Seminars will be offered by faculty in various business discipline and occasional special topics in leadership
  • Students may apply for a second seminar that differs substantially from the first seminar that they took. However, equally qualified applicants who have not yet had a seminar opportunity are given preference
  • In the future, the BLDP hopes to offer more than one seminar per semester, hinging on student demand and faculty availability
Potential earned units: six
  • Students must have a grade of B or higher with no lesser unit potential.
  • Non-SBC Research Projects within CCAS may be submitted to the Director for consideration.
  • To be considered for BLDP Honors units, non-SBC Research courses/projects must be comparable in structure, supervision, rigor, and requirements to the Honors Thesis Option.
  • They must require in independent research project under the direction of a full-time faculty member, a comprehensive research paper, and a research presentation.
Potential earned units: two or one
  • 3 credit, non-BLDP course earns 2 units with final grade of B or higher
  • 1.5 credit, non-BLDP course earns 1 unit with final grade of B or higher
  • Lesser units for a lower grade require a personal review by Director
  • Approved Leadership Courses:

General Guidelines: classes that qualify for leadership units are those for which enrollment is by special selection only. The one exception is the academic “Leadership” courses, in which the entire semester is devoted to the theme of this program.

General Guidelines: Classes that qualify for leadership units are those for which enrollment is by special selection only. The one exception is the academic “Leadership” courses, in which the entire semester is devoted to the theme of this program.

Non-Coursework-Based Opportunities within the School

  • Marketing, Management, Finance, or Accounting Associations
  • Campus Student Government Board
  • Honors Societies
  • DECA
  • Beta Alpha Psi
Potential earned units: 2.5 per semester for top office; up to two units per semester for all others.

Must be verified by advisor.

  • Multi-school accounting tournament
  • Planning leadership program outings/events
Potential earned units: up to three

Based on outline of responsibilities and time involved, using comparison to item A as guide and approved by director in advance.

General Guidelines: Activities must be verified both in terms of the level of responsibility held (leadership, not just participation), estimated time involved, and specific outcomes, if possible.

Non-Coursework Opportunities Outside or Peripheral to the School

Potential earned units: up to two per semester or four units for the year.
  • Sororities/fraternities
  • Sports
  • Church
  • Other non-profit organizations
Potential earned units: up to 1.5 units per semester or three units per year.
  • Holding a role in professional organization that is appointed rather than elected office
  • Organizing a fund-raising event or complete project for a non-profit that is not your employer
Potential earned units: up to three

General Guideline: Activities must be verified both in terms of the level of responsibility held (leadership, not just participation), estimated time involved, and specific outcomes, if possible.

Campus-Wide Honors Certification Activities

Visit a classroom at your convenience (with prior faculty approval), to explain BLDP to students.

Units Earned: 0.5 for 5 visits

Sign Up: Dr. Oscar Holmes

Event: Information Session

Volunteers needed to discuss your experiences as a BLDP student.

Units Earned: 0.5 per sesson

RSVP: Bridget Britton

 

Event: BLDP Quarterly Business Outlook

Coordinator will assist with recruiting BLDP participants, assist director with registration, coordinate carpools, arrive at start time & greet attendees, take group photos.

Units Earned: up to 1.5

RSVP: Bridget Britton

Event: Executive Lunch

Host will assist with participant recruiting, set up the room, introduce the program, lead questions, close the program and thank speakers & participants.

Units Earned: 0.5

RSVP: Bridget Britton

Event: BLDP Networking Night at the Victor

Form a committee to select menu, coordinate room reservation & setup, plan charity donations, market event to students & alumni, organize greeters, name tags, etc.

Units Earned: 0.5 to 3 depending on time & responsibility

0.5 for event greeter who meets guests & introduces alumni to everyone

0.5 for designing a BLDP handout – must be approved by Dr. KS and/or Bridget

RSVP: Bridget Britton

General Guideline: Activities must be verified both in terms of the level of responsibility held (leadership, not just participation), estimated time involved, and specific outcomes, if possible.

Important Reminders

  • All leadership units are subject to verification. At the end of every semester, faculty advisors will be asked to complete a verification form evaluating the performance of individuals in their roles as officers; outside activities must be similarly verifiable.
  • Units are shown by the maximum available, but lower units are available. For example, awards may be prorated based on holding office in a professional organization for a partial year rather than a full year. Additionally, relative recognition of different project involvement will be based on time involved and leadership demands.
  • Students may not hold two offices simultaneously and receive full leadership units. This will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This policy applies to roles for which there is substantial overlap of duties. For example, holding an office in both The Accounting Society and Beta Alpha Psi concurrently where there may be frequent joint activities and events for the two organizations. In such situations, there will be an appropriate reduction in the number of BLDP units that the student can earn in one of the organizations.
  • Holding offices simultaneously in an RSBC student organization and a non-RSBC student organization would be allowable, however, in that there will not be overlapping duties.

Generally, activities for which a student receives compensation would not be eligible to earn BLDP units.

Students are responsible to verify in advance with the Director that offices, all projects, and any courses not specifically named here whether it will be accepted for Leadership units.

Sample Verification Worksheet

Campus Honors Certification Activities

Individual BLDP Recruiting

Visit a classroom at your convenience (with prior faculty approval), to explain BLDP to students.
Obtain signature of faculty member on Activity Sheet.
Units Earned: 0.5 for 5 visits

Sign up with Dr. Oscar Holmes IV

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Request More Information

BLDP Executive Shadowing Application v2

This form is set to automatically delete an entry 180 days after it has been submitted.

"*" indicates required fields

* Indicates a required field.

Student Information

Major(s)*
Minor(s)

Shadowing

Preferred Work Environment
Preferred Area of Work*

Signatures

If I am chosen and matched with an executive, I will follow through and prepare a one-page report giving honest feedback about the experience. The written summary is due by the start of the next semester. By typing my name in the box to the right I am offering my digital signature in lieu of my handwritten signature.

After the shadowing event, I will write a personal thank you letter to the executive and copy Dr. Kaufman-Scarborough and Ms. Bridget Britton for their records. By typing my name in the box to the right I am offering my digital signature in lieu of my handwritten signature.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

After notified of a match, students are responsible for providing personal information to the matched executive (e.g., current resume and cover letter with information on career ambitions). The information on this application is for internal use only, for us to match you as well as possible with and executive from among our alumni database.

BLDP Application

The Spring 2023 Application is now open! 

Priority will be given to applications received by November 18. Applications are accepted until all seats are filled. Space is limited, so apply early!

The seminar application process is our gateway for entry into the program. Upon acceptance into BLDP, students will be emailed their acceptance letter plus a special permission number allowing registration for the BLDP seminar.

Requirements

Seminar applications are solicited each semester and require the following:

  1. Completed application form (at the bottom of this page),
  2. For students with GPA 3.0 – 3.49, two (2) letters of recommendation (one academic; one other)

Rutgers-Camden students are invited to apply to apply for enrollment in the BLDP seminar. All applicants are expected to meet both of the following selection criteria:  (1) have sophomore standing or above and (2) have an overall GPA of 3.0 or above. First-semester transfer students will be evaluated based on their GPA earned at Rutgers. Students who fail to meet these admission criteria may still be allowed to apply for (and possibly enroll in) the BLDP seminar, but they will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

The director balances evaluations to make final decisions on people accepted for the seminar (up to a maximum of 15-20 each semester).

Students who are admitted to the BDLP are required to adopt the BLDP Code of Conduct. A signed contract is required from each student.

Students may count activities toward “leadership units” that were initiated prior to taking a seminar, as long as those activities occured primarily during their enrollment in their academic program.

Application for Admission to BLDP Seminar

Applications for the BLDP Seminar will be ongoing until class is filled.

BLDP Program Application

This form is set to automatically delete an entry 180 days after it has been submitted.

  • * Indicates a required field.

  • Contact Information

  • Academic Information

  • Please enter a number from 0 to 500.
  • Transfer students only.

  • Employment Information

  • List relevant employment history

  • EmployerPositionDates of Employment 

  • School Leadership Information

  • Provide evidence of leadership initiative while enrolled in school by listing all school-based organizations and activities in which you have held a leadership role while a student.

  • OrganizationRoleDates 

  • Community Leadership Information

  • Provide a list of community or volunteer activities in which you engaged in a leadership role.

  • OrganizationRoleDates of Activity 

  • Statement

  • In your own words (100-350), discuss the reasons why your application should be considered for the Business Leader Development Program, including what you hope to gain from the program and what you can contribute.

  • Additional Submission Instructions

  • If you need to submit two reference letters, please email them to ldrshp@camden.rutgers.edu. Ideally, you should receive one letter from an academic source (e.g., a former or current instructor), and one from a business source (e.g., a former employer - even if for a part-time or volunteer position).

    Please only submit one application. If you experience any technical problems or need to submit the application again, please contact ldrshp@camden.rutgers.edu.

    Thank you.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.