A leadership program started by two Iowa State students seeks to help incoming freshmen in engineering, architecture and the technical sciences become familiar with the university.

Fifty students will attend Leadership Advantage over two weekends, June 11-14 and June 18-21. Approximately 25 students will attend each weekend.

Matt Ostanik, program coordinator for Leadership Advantage and a senior in architecture, said one of the goals of the program is to introduce students to the university and their specific colleges and fields.

The program also helps students develop their personal leadership skills and make them aware of the opportunities that exist for them at ISU.

Leadership Advantage participants are incoming freshmen who plan to major in engineering, architecture or the technical sciences. Ostanik said majors included in technical sciences are computer science, math, chemistry, physics, biophysics and biochemistry.

Ostanik said students in these majors were targeted because they share a unique bond in their interests and also may miss traditional leadership roles at ISU because of their coursework.

“I think students involved in those majors, because of the intensity of them, may possibly miss out on some traditional opportunities for leadership and social development,” he said. “Leadership Advantage gives them a chance to learn about the opportunities and develop their leadership skills before they get fully engaged by the rigors of college.”

The program was started in February 1997 by Ostanik and Chris Moe, senior in marketing. Fifteen students attended last summer’s session.

“We thought [Leadership Advantage] would be a really incredible way to work with a lot of outstanding young students and teach them things about ISU and leadership,” Ostanik said.

Students arrive in Ames on Thursday evening, and the program activities run through Sunday. Some of the activities include lunch with deans of the three represented colleges (engineering, design and liberal arts and sciences), a meeting with ISU President Martin Jischke, a visit to an architecture firm in Des Moines and a lunch with representatives from ISU student organizations.

Ostanik said Leadership Advantage activities give incoming students a chance to make contacts at ISU.

“A lot of the things we’re doing are just going around meeting people,” he said.

Weekend events also include workshops on personality types, leadership styles and creativity.

Brian Rayski, sophomore in mechanical engineering, participated in Leadership Advantage last year and is currently serving as a student facilitator for the program. He said he hopes students take advantage of the opportunity to explore campus and meet people.

“I hope they get a better look at ISU, and by the looks of it, they’re going to do that,” Rayski said.

Ostanik said he hopes participants have an “incredible experience” at the conference.

“I hope they learn a lot; I hope they meet a lot of cool people; I hope they make some friends,” he said.

The program is a collaboration of the Student Activities Center, the Society of Women Engineers and Triangle Fraternity. Ostanik said funding for the program came from Engineering Student Council, Design Council, LAS Council and the Triangle Fraternity Education Foundation.