Summer Planning Fuels TRHLP Success

The resident halls and sidewalks are relatively empty during the summer months at Dickinson State University (DSU), but staff across campus are hard at work preparing for the students’ return. The Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program (TRHLP) is one of the many departments that continue to push forward each summer. While many of the TRHLP members continue their participation in the program through internships in the community and their hometowns, TRHLP Director Michelle Orton is taking advantage of the quiet campus.

Throughout the summer the TRHLP focuses on recruitment, updating the leadership curriculum, planning new member orientation, and creating leadership development opportunities. These efforts ensure returning and incoming TRHLP members are prepared for another successful year of the program. “Many DSU students, families, and friends may not realize that the TRHLP is more than an academic honors program – it emphasizes leadership, service, professional development, and strong community connections that prepare students for success beyond college,” said Michelle Orton, TRHLP Director and Assistant Professor of Leadership. “The returners now understand this, but incoming students don’t fully grasp what TRHLP is about until they get started.”

This summer the TRHLP is also preparing for the grand opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. This fall the TRHLP is looking forward to leadership events, engaging with the community, mentoring, and helping students continue to grow academically and personally.

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Written by Sarah Griffis – DSU HF Content Writer

About the TRHLP

The Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program is a student-driven honors program at DSU with a focus on leadership and service within the Dickinson community. TRHLP students earn a leadership minor and participate in service-learning opportunities on campus and in the community.